


Bad Things

by EmrysBeard



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Abuse, BDSM, Chaptered, Criminal!Phil, Dark, Drugs, Improper BDSM, Lawyer!Dan, M/M, Manipulating, Murder, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sex Trafficking, Subspace, Violence, both physical and emotional, degredation, dom!Phil, non-negotiated kinks, punk!phil, top!phil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-09-30 19:53:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10170599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmrysBeard/pseuds/EmrysBeard
Summary: Dan's an easy target- young, weak, starved of love, and Phil's been watching him for a while anyways. Taking on Dan's case may prove to be a fatal flaw.Updates TuesdaysBased off of "Bad Things" by Machine Gun Kelly





	1. Am I Out of My Head?

**Author's Note:**

> HEY GUYS THE BDSM FEATURED IN THIS FIC IS BAD DON'T USE IT AS A MODEL IT IS VERY IMPROPER!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> So Emily and I did another thing! It was supposed to be a oneshot but got pretty angsty- oops. Don't worry, we have a fluffy one planned for you guys <3

Phil Lester has a reputation, both among the government and the common people of the city. It might not necessarily be a good one, but he has a reputation. The name Phil Lester is synonymous with drugs, murder, torture, and the monster that lies under your bed when you go to sleep at night. He’s all hard edges and tattoos and piercings and gun metal, but the thing that makes him so dangerous is the fact that he’s skilled at manipulation.

Dan knows all of these things when he walks into his office on a cold, rainy, spring morning. He knows that Phil Lester isn't one to be trifled with, and yet Dan’s job for the foreseeable future is not to prosecute this criminal, but instead to defend him. Dan can't claim to be the best defence lawyer, after all he only graduated from University about a year ago, and yet Dan has the advantage of charisma and wit: two underappreciated characteristics key to winning a case. With all of Phil’s money, he could have chosen any lawyer, and yet he asked for Dan. The reason for this is far beyond Dan’s understanding, and yet Dan had accepted the case, and so he supposes that he will be representing this criminal as any good lawyer would. That won't mean that Dan will get pulled in as easily as Phil’s other victims, though. Dan has already sealed his heart and mind within a metal cage, a knowing, half smile upon his lips.

“Daniel James Howell,” Phil says slowly, already sitting in Dan’s chair. “I like that name, really rolls off the tongue. That and it’s a lovely name to go alongside a pretty face. I’ve been watching you, Dan- can I call you Dan? Doesn’t matter, I will anyways. I’ve had my eye on you for a while, and let me just say you’re downright  _ captivating _ .” Throughout his entire speech, Phil hasn’t looked up from the pen he’s twirling in his fingers, a pen he took from Dan’s desk.

“Hm, you've got quite a reputation yourself,” Dan quips, reaching down to snatch the pen from Phil’s grasp, however Dan lets out a small noise of surprise when Phil’s hand snaps up to capture Dan’s wrist in an iron hold, before letting him go with a smirk. Dan simply sniffles, tucking his pen in his pocket. “I assume that with all your money you'd like to be let go to bathe in your millions, so shouldn't we get to work?” Dan raises his eyebrow. 

Phil seems slightly miffed before saying, “I’m not that shallow, Dan. I prioritize games over money, you should know that if you’ve been reading the brief on me. I’ve been getting bored lately, and this court? It’s like I’ll get to play again.”

Before Dan can reply, Phil stands up and walks around Dan to grab his wrists from behind. “You’ll find out very quickly that you won’t like me as much when I’m bored. That is, unless you like a little bit of pain.” He punctuates his sentence with a sharp bite on Dan’s neck.

Immediately, Dan shivers slightly, his throat dry as he tries to swallow. His breath catches in his throat and he doesn't quite realise he hasn’t replied until suddenly everything hits him with blaring color and feeling, and within moments Dan twists in Phil’s grasp. “I see I'm not the only one who's done some sort of research, but you may be disappointed to find that I'm rather used to people being bored all the time. I managed to get through law school, after all.”

Dan pushes a smirk to his lip, before he yanks himself away from Phil, smirking up at him. “Please, take a seat, but on the couch, not in my chair. I've been through enough boredom to deserve that chair.”

“I owe you nothing,” Phil hisses, but steps away regardless. Dan starts to talk about the specifics of the case, but Phil isn’t really listening. He went to law school when he was younger, he’s been in his fair share of trials. With how smart and careful he is, Phil wouldn’t be here if he didn’t want to be. The thing about Dan is that he has the potential to be useful to Phil. Dan hasn’t been disbarred. He’s young and naive, starved of love, and practically begging for someone to latch onto. Really, if Dan’s as smart as he seems, he should have figured Phil out by now. Then again, Phil’s always prided himself on being hard to read.

“Do you understand?” Dan spits for the fourth time, growing frustrated. Quite frankly everything he'd heard about Phil lead Dan to believe that Phil is quick, smart, and attentive, yet as Dan speaks, Phil seems lost in his own thoughts. Sighing, Dan stands, marching over to glare down at Phil. As he gazes at him, Dan can't help but admire him a bit, despite his revulsion for the man. Phil has blood on his hands, and yet the blood doesn't seem quite as obvious to Dan, at the moment. Instead, Dan is focused on the sharp curve to Phil’s jaw line, the way his hair falls across his brow, and the bright blue and green hues of his eyes which could belong to an artist more easily than they could a hardened criminal. In fact, all of Phil’s features captivate Dan’s mind, and for a brief flash, they seem far more captivating than Dan’s case.

“I understand,” Phil says softly. “But what I don’t understand is why you’re alone in life. You’re smart certainly, you’re quick witted, you’re pretty…” as he calls Dan pretty, he holds the boy’s face in one hand and runs his thumb over Dan’s bottom lip. “Anyone would be lucky to get into that ass of yours. I wonder, are you loud in bed, Dan? Actually, don’t answer that, I’d like to find out myself.”

He drops Dan as suddenly as he had touched him and surveys the room, looking for cameras. When he finds none, he knows that he’s free to start the very long and very fun process of breaking Dan Howell. 

“I could kiss you, and you’d beg me for more. To be  _ touched _ .”

Dan shivers again, some warning switch in his head battling with a strange urge that tugs him closer to Phil, closer to the snake whose hand is now resting innocently on his thigh. Dan licks his lips self consciously, his soft brown eyes somehow outlined by his pale face and flushing cheeks. Sucking a deep breath in, Dan digs his nails into his palms, grounding himself until he trusts his voice, finally speaking, despite a sight hoarseness.

“Sorry, but you're too late. Or I should rephrase that. I'm afraid I happen to know that you're not my type. Sure, I'm single, but I wasn't four months ago,” Dan clears his throat, taking a moment to control his breathing. “But he shouldn't concern you. I'm sure you wouldn't have a chance put in the ring with him. And besides, I know how you so called bad boys operate now. Just because I'm single doesn't give you the slightest ability to slip into my heart. You have no idea what he was like, and I'm afraid you don't measure up.”

Dan thinks for a moment about his previous, and only, relationship, and he gives his head a small shake. Either Phil has done some deep research into Dan’s weak spot, or he’s a great guesser, but Dan  _ is _ sure that after all this time he has enough barriers to keep anyone from playing with his heart again.

“I’m hurt, sweetheart. I’m not like other boys. I don’t want to get into your heart. I want to get into your  _ head _ . I want to take you apart, piece by piece, and find out what makes you tick. You, Dan, should not close yourself off. If you’ll let me, I can show you what love feels like. I’ll cherish you, but you must understand one thing.”

By now, Phil is standing face to face with Dan, his once artistic, rainbow eyes are now stormy, dark, and dangerous. Dan can feel Phil’s breath tickle his bangs, and Dan’s lips move several times before he forces out two words, both words sounding more like a whimper. “What's that?”

“No one can know.” Phil runs his fingers through Dan’s hair. “It’ll destroy your reputation, for everyone to know what happens between us. It’ll be-” -he pauses to think- “-Our dirty little secret. What do you say, kitten?”

“I… I can't,” Dan’s voice is a whisper, his adam's apple bobbing, his eyes wide and almost innocent as he shakes his head, but leans into the touch, his eyelashes fluttering. “Please, Phil, really…”

“C’mon, pretty boy. If you say no, I hope you understand that I’m not going away,” Phil says, his lips millimeters from Dan’s.

Dan finds himself wetting his lips nervously, the flavour of strawberries on his tongue, before he closes his eyes. It seems to take the willpower of a million voices for Dan to turn his head, only then able to open his eyes, his gaze placed firmly on the ground as he doesn't trust himself to look at Phil. 

“This session is over,” Dan speaks, his voice weak and his mind somewhere else entirely. “The officer is outside, he’ll take you back. I… We have another meeting already scheduled for tomorrow. I think we may need to push back the trial date, if possible. I'm not sure if I'm able to work efficiently at the moment. I'll see you tomorrow. Please… Leave now.”

“As you wish.”

On his way out the door, Phil trails his hand over Dan’s waist, barely a ghost of a touch, and smiles to himself. The officer leads Phil outside- he had posted bail- and then Phil’s on his own. But what to do? Phil thinks for a moment, and then it occurs to him. He knows where Dan lives. And he never takes no for an answer. 


	2. Am I Out of My Mind?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys I'm kinda having a rough time as of late and I'm the one posting the ch for this so if I'm late don't be mad please :)  
> -somanydestiel

Back inside the office, Dan sinks into his chair, places his head in his arms, quakes only slightly, before letting out a soft whimper. He knows he won't be going home for at least an hour as he curls his legs to his chest and simply tries to breathe.

When Dan gets home, Phil’s already made himself comfortable on Dan’s couch with a glass of wine.

“Lesson One,” he says thoughtfully, “I wasn’t asking for your permission today, kitten. I was telling you what I want to do, and I get what I want.”

“How did you get in?” Dan cries, his back up against the door. By the time he had finally mustered up the courage to return home to his empty flat filled with full memories, his breath had returned to normal. Now, however, he can feel his heart speeding up again. His eyes flicker to a dangerous portrait sitting on the mantle, and Dan knows that Phil has seen it. That portrait holds Dan’s darkest secret, the one that no one knows, because there is no longer anyone who visits Dan’s flat… Until now. Dan’s knees feel weak, and yet he stumbles over, pressing the picture frame to his chest, hiding the evidence that he's ever had the slightest attraction to in men dressed in leathers, or the tiniest interest in wearing a delicate black collar around his neck. The picture of him and his one and only love interest is for his eyes alone, and the thought that Phil has laid eyes on it makes Dan’s heart pound.

Phil chuckles, “I’ve seen the picture, too late. I thought you would know better than to underestimate me. It doesn’t matter how I got here, it matters how pretty you look with that collar. Tell me, is it still here? I’d love to be able to play with you some before I get to teaching you. Come here now, kneel in front of me.”

“You don't understand,” Dan murmurs, his legs moving without his permission. “It's a game to you, but it's… It's more than that to me. You don't understand.” Dan’s doe eyes brim with a layer of moisture.

“Help me understand then,” Phil says gently, licking over his snakebites. “It’s about love for you, isn’t it? You really are too cute. Daniel James Howell, if I did not love you, why would I bother to learn so much about you? Like your favorite wine is Lumiere, you listen to Kanye West, you run sarcastic social media accounts, and you take your coffee so sweet and creamy that it’s little more than a pale beige. A game can be played out of love.”

“That isn't love, it's obsession,” Dan whimpers softly. He's now standing in front of Phil, close enough to touch, but not brave enough to lift a finger. “I've read about you. I've studied you. I've read what you can do to people. What you can do to… Could do to me…”

“Obsession and love can be difficult to separate. There are many things I could do to you, that’s true. I could rip you limb from limb and feed you to the dogs, but I won’t. You mean much more- that is, I like you much better- alive, and by my side. All the people who’ve ridiculed you, put you down, told you that you were nothing?” Phil laughs, one hand pushing Dan down onto the floor almost absentmindedly. “You want to show them that you’re something, don’t you? Make them sorry for what they said to you.”

Dan whines softly. It is a noise that resonates from the back of his throat and yet it's tortured echoes sound sweet to Phil’s ears. When Phil’s hand tangles itself in Dan’s hair, he simply nudges against the touch, his lip caught in his teeth, before he finds his voice. “And you? You claim to have some power over them? You think you can change anything?”

“You’re that naive?” Phil asks with a smirk. “If you’ll be a good boy, I’ll teach you how to have them writhing at your fingertips, apologizing and begging you to just kill them already.”

“You're a monster,” Dan’s voice is small, his eyes locked on Phil’s, and yet he makes no move to break eye contact with Phil. “And yet…” Dan trails off, unable or unwilling to verbalise his thought.

“All monsters are human,” Phil whispers, and pulls Dan’s face closer to his by the hair. “I’m going to kiss you, just so you know.”

Dan doesn't reply. Instead he closes his eyes, and then gasps as Phil’s cold, chapped lips meet his own soft, strawberry pink ones, moving in time with a silent beat. Dan’s limp hands move to cup Phil’s neck, when suddenly they're stopped, trapped together in Phil’s iron grip. Dan mewls in confusion.

“Lesson number two: don’t touch,” Phil says as he pulls away, but keeps Dan’s hands in his tightly. “You are mine, and I don’t want you to think that it’s the other way around. Understood?”

“Yes,” Dan whispers, and yet Phil’s nails dig into the soft skin of Dan’s wrists, and Dan flushes prettily as he bites his lips together and suppresses a soft noise akin to a frightened puppy. “Yes sir?”

“I want to test your limits,” Phil says abruptly, dropping Dan’s wrists and standing up. “Tell me, how much do you think you can take?”

“Take?” Dan speaks, his voice small and confused as he attempts to grasp his bearings, his eyes darting about like a frightened small animal who woke up in the wrong burrow. “Take of what?”

“You’ll see, kitten,” Phil says. “Follow.”

He turns on his heel and walks to Dan’s room, where he’s set up a variety of things while waiting for Dan to come home. The bed has a few things on it that Phil’s very familiar but he’s unsure if Dan will. The rope is a no brainer, but there’s more than that. A collar, a paddle, and some things that must’ve been hard to come by.

When Dan stumbles in after Phil, he really releases the little noise that he’s been holding in, and he sags lightly against Phil. 

“Oh,” Dan whimpers, before taking a tentative step forward. His fingers reach out to trail along the instruments, before he stops to turn his head toward Phil, his eyes questioning, asking if he may.

That makes Phil smile. “You can touch. This is everything I’ll be using tonight, maybe more if you’re responsive,” he says with a cheshire grin. As Dan tentatively feels everything laid out before him, Phil’s mind is running at a thousand miles per hour, trying to decide what exactly to start with. Dan’’s no stranger to pain, certainly, but how much can he handle on his first night?

Dan’s finger runs delicately along the top of the paddle, and ghosts along each of the tools, until suddenly Dan’s fingers hover over the velvety black collar, and he stops. It seems a long moment that Dan gazes at the object, innocently sitting upon his duvet, when suddenly Dan’s lip quivers, and his mind crumbles. Within moments, Dan spins, his eyes wide as he gazes at Phil. It's as if suddenly he's woken up from a trance, and his eyes dart around the room as if searching in vain for somewhere to hide. 

“I can't,” Dan’s voice is just above a whisper. “I see now why people say to be careful around you. It’s as if you're sweet, and we’re all just drawn to you like bees to honey, until we find out you're not honey, but fly paper. My whole life has been law, I can't, not with a client and certainly not with you. People could find out, and besides, it's wrong.” Suddenly Dan’s bottom lip began to tremble, and it’s as if he no longer has control over his emotions, as one large crocodile tear cascades down his cheek. He knows his mind is becoming fuzzy, and he can't help the next phrase that slips from between his lips. “Phil, I'm frightened…”

“You don’t need to be frightened of me. I don’t intend to hurt you unless we’re playing,” Phil says. “I must say, if you think crying will deter me, you’re sorely mistaken. I like it when you cry, Dan. Play with me. Let me make you feel good. I’ll protect you. I’ll keep you safe from them.” He speaks like he’s offering a grandiose treasure rather than something that requires Dan to give up everything that he is as a person.

Dan’s eyes dart around the room, however they land and lock upon Phil’s. His eyes, swirling with colors, now appear to offer some sort of promise which lures Dan in. His eyes appear almost kind, protective, as if they belong to someone who will nurture Dan in a way he’d only  barely had once, before it was ripped from him. Phil’s eyes promised that Dan would have that wonderful feeling within his grasp again, and with a soft keen, Dan stumbles forward, not even flinching when Phil’s palm cups Dan’s cheek.

“Good boy,” Phil praises, kissing Dan’s forehead. “On the bed for me.”

He unceremoniously sweeps all of things off the bed and watches Dan scramble to get onto the mattress. Before he can change his mind, rope is already being wound around Dan’s wrists and ankles, spreading him open on the bed. Tutting at the fact that Dan’s still fully clothed, Phil cuts off the suit with a knife from his pocket, shushing Dan when he whimpers at the sight of the knife. What to do first? Phil thinks he can skip the paddle, Dan’s clearly experienced with that. _ Maybe the cat o’ nine tails _ , he decides, picking it up and running the leather over his fingers.

“Do you recognize this, kitten?”

Dan’s eyes are wide, and he shrugs nervously. In the back of his mind he remembers seeing it before during his time with his previous partner. He'd once taken Dan somewhere dark where many people were in similar relationships, and Dan seems to remember seeing what Phil is holding shoot through the air for a moment in the dim light, before Dan’s attention had been pulled elsewhere. Seeing it now in Phil’s hands made Dan shift slightly, his skin prickling.

“Answer my question,” Phil growls, snapping it down across Dan’s chest. “Lesson three: only speak when speak when spoken to, always speak when spoken to.”

“Yes sir,” Dan whimpered softly. “I have seen it, but I've never… Never on me.” Dan blinks nervously up at Phil, knowing the thought isn't complete, but begging with his soft eyes that it is enough.

Instead of answering verbally, Phil nods thoughtfully. “I thought so. Let’s see how much you can take. While we play, I want you to count to two hundred aloud. Everytime you miss a number or hesitate, you will restart.”

Phil doesn’t wait for Dan to answer before he unties the boy to force him to turn over. He manhandles the boy into his hands and knees, and lands a harsh strike across Dan’s upper thighs.

“I’m waiting,” he drawls. “Count, stupid bitch.”

“O-one,” Dan cries softly, his voice shaking as he begins to count. Once again moisture is in his eyes, though he's not sure if it's from the spike of pain, or the strange knot of emotions bubbling in his stomach, chest, and head. The next strike seems sudden, and Dan let's out a soft sob, though he can't pinpoint why, because the pain isn't altogether unpleasant. In fact, it almost seems to be filling a void that Dan suddenly realises was blaringly missing from his life. All in a rush, he begins counting again, his voice slightly stronger.

It’s almost fifteen minutes before Dan reaches 200, and Phil can’t help the marks up and down Dan’s ass, thighs, and lower back that are sure to bruise. “You look pretty like this,” Phil muses. “Tell me, kitten, how does it feel?”

“It… It's right,” Dan’s voice his soft, and his mind feels confused, as if he’s underwater, and yet a sort of warmth is consuming him, and he wiggles slightly, despite a sudden, shooting pain up his back. “I missed it… It feels right, and good, sir...” Dan’s voice is a quiet, purring hum, as if he's forgotten where he is and who, exactly, he's with.

“Do you want more of this, or do you want to move on?” Phil asks, his voice like liquid silk. He can hear how far gone Dan is. Breaking him will be easier than Phil thought. “I have a feeling that we won’t be stopping for a while yet.”

“I… I'm not sure,” Dan’s voice is soft. He rises and falls with his breathing, his back twitching slightly before he musters the courage to speak again. He feels confused, as if something is off, but he's not in a good state of mind to determine what it is exactly. He feels almost lost within a dense fog, and his next words come out as a tiny whine. “More, Chris? We… We usually don't do more…”

“Chris?” Phil clucks his tongue. “Guess again, sweetheart.”

Dan’s mind churns through the fog until prices begin falling into place again, and he lets out a soft sob, telling Phil that Dan is back in his own mind again. 

“Hurts…” Dan’s voice is strained and delicate, his eyes brimming. “I don't remember it feeling quite like this before… He never took it so far. He always stopped…”

“It’s supposed to hurt. You can take more. I won’t ask you again, Daniel,” Phil says icily. “More of this, or move on to something else? Your decision. I’m not your  _ Chris _ , and I won’t be letting you off as easily as he seemed to do. I will take you apart and put you back together again. Answer my question and relax. Enjoy it. Bask in it.”

“Something else?” It was more of a question than a statement, but Phil seems to be listening to Dan, for he can hear rustling behind him. Dan tenses, the fuzzy feeling now battling with something akin to nervous fright, as if he’s drowning and yet almost enjoying it. Dan feels cold and warm at the same time, but when he feels Phil’s hand stroke the nape of his neck, Dan leans eagerly into the warm, human contact.

The click of a cap is the only real sound, and then Phil’s fingers are rubbing gently over Dan’s hole, coaxing him to relax. “I haven’t decided yet if I want to fuck your pretty ass tonight, but I know I won’t be leaving it alone. You’re too much of a slut to not get anything inside of you. Have you ever been shocked before, Dan?”

“No,” Dan feebly spoke, his resolve coming and going. “It… It’ll hurt, won't it? Please, if you do it, touch me during it. Not like that, just please… I don't want to be alone.” Dan’s words don’t quite make sense, but when Phil’s hand leaves the nape of Dan’s neck, Dan wails. He needs the touch of human contact right now, and he whines again, begging Phil’s hand to come back.

“Lesson four: I’ll touch you when and how I please,” Phil says, picking up a strange looking machine with the hand not still on Dan, one finger poised to push in. “And you’ll accept it like a good boy.” He attaches the strange patches connected to the machine to various parts of Dan’s body: One on his neck, two on his nipples, two on his sensitive inner thighs, and the last three on his balls and cock. “Now, Dan, this will hurt. I don’t know if you’ll like it in the slightest. People either despise or crave it. I get the feeling you’ll be the latter.”

There was a moment of hesitation, and then Dan’s shaking slightly, his mind was exploding again with the warmth he felt before. It floods him as a series of tiny noises fell from his mouth. He closes his eyes, but he sees sparks, lighting up a face that Dan knows is Phil’s. It seems that it’s over before it starts, and Dan’s mouth makes a noise of protest, apparently beyond talking.

“Now  _ that _ was fun,” Phil says, running his hand through Dan’s hair and finally getting two fingers into Dan at once, skipping the first because he wants to see how Dan handles the pain. “More, Dan?”

“More, please,” Dan echoes, rocking desperately against Phil, now truly too far gone to protest. “Please, sir? More. Of anything. More of you.”

“Look at you. So polite for me.” Smiling, Phil cranks up the voltage and shocks Dan again, leaving it on longer as well. He doesn’t turn it off until involuntary tears run down Dan’s cheeks.

Small noises again begin to spill from Dan’s mouth, this time beginning louder as he sniffles and quivers, his mind completely lost in the haze, until it suddenly shuts off, leaving Dan panting and whining, Phil’s name soft on his tongue.

As suddenly as they started, the shocks stop, and Phil focuses more on fucking Dan with his fingers than the shocks, slipping in a third finger. “Do you think I should fuck you tonight, kitten?”

“Please,” Dan begs softly, not sure exactly what he's begging for, but knowing how good whatever Phil is doing feels. Phil hits something inside Dan that makes the boy see stars, and he pants softly, sniffling and falling into the sheets, clearly lost in another world. “Please, more, like that. Please, so good. You… You're amazing…”

“I know,” Phil says snidely, retracting his fingers and shocking Dan again. “Would you like being whipped with the shocks before then? Or should I get right to it and get what  _ I _ want from you. I’ll give you a hint, slut.” Phil bends over so his lips are right next to Dan’s ears. “There is a right and a wrong answer.”

“I want to make you happy,” Dan murmurs, his voice hardly recognizable to his own ears. “Please, bring them back… It felt so good.” Dan isn't sure how to describe what his mind is thinking, but he pushes and wiggles slightly, trying to meet Phil’s fingers desperately.

For what feels like forever, Phil contemplates Dan’s words, then the sound of a belt being undone filters through the air. The shocks are turned back on, even higher, probably enough to make Dan come. 

“You’ll get my cock when you earn it by coming for me, kitten,” Phil says, unzipping his slacks to get a hand on himself. His eyes are locked on Dan as he strokes, biting back a low groan that threatens to bubble up from somewhere in his throat. “But if you touch yourself, you’ll regret it.”

Phil’s voice comes to Dan through a thick coating of fog, but Dan still attempts to listen, bucking desperately as he searches for friction. The battle of pain and pleasure dances back and forth in his mind, and suddenly he’s wishing that he was restrained, as his hand inches uncontrollably toward that which is forbidden. He’s barely aware of his own action, his fingers twitching, until suddenly they brush his cock, and then, within seconds, his hands are restrained, nails digging into his wrists.

“Naughty fucking bitch,” Phil growls. He cuts off the shocks and rips the patches from Dan’s skin with no care. “How should I hurt you now? You seem to just  _ love _ everything I give you.” He really isn’t sure, but if he can make Dan afraid, he’ll have more time to think under the guise of trying to build Dan’s anticipation.

Then it hits him.

With someone as soft and as used to more gentle BDSM as Dan, it’s not likely that he’s ever been sounded, and Phil’s been wanting to do that anyways. “On your back, slut.”

Dan scrambles to do as he is told, his eyes flickering up to Phil, searching for answers which don't seem readily available. He feels his arms being restrained over his head, however he doesn't fight the ropes, but instead watches Phil with now near curious eyes.

“Spread your legs.” While Dan obeys, Phil bends down to pick up the sound from his things. “I don’t think you’ve ever felt one of these in you. Guess where it goes?” Phil pushes the top of it and sudden bumps appear in arrays down it, just sharp enough to feel uncomfortable if they were pressed against anything.

Dan blinks at it, confused. His still fuzzy brain doesn't seem to be registering any fear at the moment, and he tilts his head as he analyzes it, looking slightly like a baffled puppy. It seems rather thin to go where Phil’s fingers had gone before, so he turned his attention back to Phil questioningly, his innocent confusion somewhat cute, but his clear misunderstanding and lack of fear evidently frustrating to Phil.

So Phil doesn’t bother to tell Dan what it is, just spreads a thin coating of lube on it and sits on the bed, on top of Dan’s legs to hold them down. He smirks when Dan gasps in surprise as Phil presses it to the tip of Dan’s flushed red and leaking cock.


	3. If You Only Knew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Day 1 of _Bad Things_ weekend! I will post a chapter tomorrow and Sunday x

“There?” Dan’s voice is only a breath, his chest now rising and falling quickly as the reality suddenly kicked in. Within moments Dan’s attempting to kick Phil off, struggling desperately, but his movements are sluggish and slow, a thin veil of sweat curling the hair on his brow.

“Stay still,” Phil commands, pushing in the sound tortuously slowly. “Unless you want it to hurt worse and get more of a punishment.”

Dan begins to cry softly, shaking his head as pain different to the earlier shock begins melting into him, and Dan swallows as he tries to stifle a sob. The pleasure of earlier is gone, for this isn't pleasurable anymore, it's only pain. Dan is now softly blubbering, his hair now curly and his lashes clumped as apologies begin to trickle from his mouth. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…. I didn't mean to?”

“Shush,” Phil says, pulling away from Dan once the sound is all the way in, nothing but the small button on the rounded top exposed. When Phil pushes it to make the rounded spikes raise, he admires that way Dan screams. “I like your voice, but the neighbors may not.” 

Then, Phil pulls out his phone and starts texting, completely ignoring Dan with an almost bored expression on his face. He ignores all the little whines and pleads dripping from Dan’s mouth completely. 

Dan hardly even realizes he's making noise at this point, and yet the constant sound of his desperation is the only sound in the room, other than the  _ tap tap _ of Phil’s fingers on his phone. Eventually, Dan seems to have cried himself out, and only an occasional sniffle is heard as he cries softly, nudging Phil occasionally, still murmuring occasional apologies. Mostly, however, Dan is all eyes, gazing up at Phil with a baffled, innocent look like a startled toddler would give a stranger who snatched his ice cream away from him. A look begging for an answer to the question  _ why?  _ Finally, he whimpered a tiny word. “Phil?”

“Can I help you?” Phil asks snarkily.

Dan’s dark, wide eyes dart about, before he mewls and nods downward, looking lost and frightened. “I'm sorry. Please. I won't do it again! I… I learned my lesson, sir? Please, I'll be a good boy.”

“What are you asking me to do?” Now Phil’s toying with Dan, waiting to see how the boy will react. “Use a bigger one, perhaps? Bite your lips swollen and cover you in bruises? Tie you up and drag you behind me on a leash like a filthy dog?” His lip curls when he says the last sentence, but he must admit that the idea sounds appealing.

“The last two, I don't mind, just please not the first one, sir. Please take it out, sir. I'll do anything, please. I don't mind, just please take it out and I'll be a good boy. I can be your good boy. I can be anything, just please,” Dan begs softly, leaning upwards slightly to try to be closer to Phil, a soft sob escaping his mouth. 

Raising an eyebrow, Phil starts stroking Dan’s cock, listening to him whine because it hurts around the sound. “Why would I take it out? You look so pretty with it. Maybe I’ll take it out after I fuck you,” he muses.

“Anything,” Dan whines in promise, sniffling and shaking his head. He swallows hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. “I… I'll be yours, please, I… I'll love you?” Dan speaks the last sentence in a tiny voice, for this is the ultimate gift from Daniel James Howell to give. Love is the ultimate promise that he could give, the golden rose above all others, and yet his soft brown eyes are earnest in this moment.

“Oh sweetheart, you’ve just sold your soul,” Phil mutters under his breath, before returning his voice to normal. “Desperate little kitten. I’m taking it out, but your slutty ass isn’t coming tonight, am I clear?”

“Yes sir,” Dan whispers, his eyes half closing in relief. He waits expectantly for the pain to leave, his chest shining with moisture as he pants softly, anticipating the next moment with all of his worth, his mind not truly on the promise he’d just made.

Phil tosses the sound to the floor once it’s out, and rubs his thumb over the head of Dan’s cock, dipping it into the abused slit. “Even your cock is so pretty.” He stands up and sets his phone aside, going back to touching himself, his movements expert to make himself come. He does, all over Dan’s face. 

“Don’t move.” Biting his lip, Phil grabs his phone and takes a picture. “My good little slut, isn’t that right?” He says. “Go clean yourself up, you’re a mess. I’ll be waiting for you in here.”

Dan hesitates for a moment, looking at Phil in confusion, however Phil simply turns away. Dan whines and clumsily tries to sit up, beginning to nuzzle hopefully against Phil, letting out a soft cry when Phil slaps him across the face and pushess him away as if he’s grotesque, not allowing Dan’s face to touch Phil’s still pristine shirt.

“I told you, go clean up. I don’t want cum on me, filthy whore.”

As soon as Dan’s out of the room, Phil straightens himself up and kicks all of the things he’s used on Dan into a pile by Dan’s bed. It’s so much easier than Phil feared to break Dan down.  _ Less than a week and I’ll be all he thinks about _ , Phil thinks, listening to the sound of Dan’s shower running. 

Dan, under the warm water, is crying softly, his arms wrapped around himself and his head swimming in confusion. His head is so frightened and confused, and he feels as though he is washing a part of himself down the drain along with Phil’s cum. When he’s finished, he stumbles out of the shower, wiping himself off, and almost sinking to the ground. He has to just breath for several minutes, trying to stop crying and trying to sort things out. The remnants from his life with Chris are flooding back into his mind, and he cries softly for his previous boyfriend. Chris would break him down, and then he would hold him and tell him he was loved, and Dan sobs softly for that. Finally he is able to pull himself together, and he nods, resolve half steeled.

Taking a deep breath, Dan doesn't bother to cover himself, and instead shakes his head and makes his way down the tall. He takes another deep breath, and then slams the door to his bedroom open, and glares. Phil is on his phone, apparently not a care in the world, and when Dan clears his throat, Phil doesn't even bother to look up.

“Get… Get out! I never want to see you again!” Dan suddenly cries, before suddenly bursting into tears, Phil finally looking up at him.

Sighing, Phil sets down his phone. “You know, you said you’d do anything. You told me you’d be mine. If anything you should be grateful I’ve taken an interest in you. There are others who’d kill to be in your shoes.”

“I… No, please, leave. I… I'm dropping your case, I can't, please,” strings of words pour from Dan’s mouth as he feels weak in the knees. He begins to crumple, just barely hanging onto the door frame. “Please, go, I'm sorry. I can't. You're not like him. You would win against him, but you're not like him. I want him, but he's never coming back! Please… I'm sorry.” Dan sniffled, when suddenly he felt a presence, and he looked up to see Phil standing right in front of him.

“He would want you to move on. You’re not dropping this case, you know why?” Dan shakes his head. “If you do, you’ll have to explain why. Everyone will know what we did, what you begged me for. And, Dan, if you drop my case-” he pauses to crack his knuckles. “I don’t think you’ll ever be taking on another one.”

Dan’s chest heaves with emotions as his eyes dart about, searching for an answer to a problem he doesn't quite know about at all. Finally, he sags, letting out a single sob, and then nodding slowly.

“I… I'll keep you,” Dan whispers, referring to the case, but secretly knowing there's much more.

“Good boy,” Phil praises, stepping close enough to Dan to kiss his cheek. “Oh, and I think I’ll spend the night here. What do you want for dinner? I’ll order something in, my treat.” Changing subjects seemingly at random is something Phil’s always been known to do, and at times, like now, it can be downright unsettling. 

“I…” Dan gazed up at Phil, his eyes searching Phil’s as if looking for the right answer and knowing that something else must be the wrong answer. When nothing pops directly out to Dan, he speaks nervously. “Ch-Chinese?”

“I like Chinese,” Phil says, and places an order without waiting to hear what Dan might specifically want. “Don’t whine, you’ll get food. If I recall, you have no room mates, correct?”

“No, I don't,” Dan shakes his head, searching Phil’s eyes for something, though he couldn't put his finger on what. He bites his lip, and then speaks again. “Is that alright?”

Phil smiles. “More than alright. Means that there’s no one to interrupt us. We have an hour or so to kill, kitten. What to do with it?”

“Would you… Would you like to watch tv? And snuggle?” Dan asked hopefully, his eyes large and inviting. He didn't particularly want any contact with Phil, and yet one part of his mind is begging and pleading with him for human contact. “Or just tv… Or I have chess?”

“You’re adorable. I’d love to play chess with you, television is boring. I want to see how much of a match you are for me intellectually.” Standing up, Phil tucks his phone into his back pocket.

Dan hurries ahead to pull out his chess board, setting it up on the table in his office, and he smiles hopefully at Phil who sits across from him, his face a mask without clear emotions. The game doesn't seem in either boy’s favor at first, and yet in two moves, Dan is suddenly pulling ahead.

With a hum to himself, Phil moves a bishop to take Dan’s rook and puts the piece off to the side. “Who taught you?” He asks, but his eyes are on the stolen piece, not Dan or the board.

“I… I learned in University,” Dan says, his eyes staring nervously at Phil. “A professor. He said I would be good at it, and so he took me in and taught me over dinner once a week.”

“You are. Your professor, he did not lay hands on you, did he?” The phrase is said so casually, but Phil puts a quiver into his hand when he moves his next piece so he looks like he cares.

“No, of course not!” Dan cries softly, his eyes innocent. “He… He was very close, but he wasn't… That's not how he was. He was married, with a wife. He just taught me on the side, you know, the nights when she had to go out anyway and he would get lonely since the kids had grown up and moved out. He was very honorable.” 

“Of course,” Phil says, and watches Dan make his next move.  _ A mistake. One move and he’s in checkmate now,  _ Phil thinks to himself. Instead of making it, he drags a different piece, a pawn, and uses it to take Dan’s queen. 

Dan’s eyes widen and he bites his lip, knowing that he might as well forfeit without the powerful piece, however just then the doorbell rings, and Dan flushes, only now realizes that he is, in fact, still naked. His eyes met Phil’s worriedly, his teeth chewing on his lip.

“Go get it,” Phil says with disinterest. “He touches you, I’ll deal with him, but otherwise you’re fine.” Once Dan gets up, albeit slowly, Phil leans back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. Dan’s not nearly as smart as he thinks he is, but he’s intelligent enough to be fun. “Resume after dinner?” He adds, gesturing to the chess game upon  Dan’s return.

“I… If you want to,” Dan nods, however his voice is quiet and he's now got fresh tear tracks down his cheeks. “The.. The food is in the kitchen. Follow me, please?”

“Sure, sweetheart.” Phil gets up and follows him, taking note of everything that could be used as a weapon if Dan snaps. He can defend himself, and it’s a doubtful scenario, but it’s good information. In the kitchen, Phil watches Dan unpack all the food, smirking when Dan steps back nervously to allow Phil to get what he wants first.

Once Phil has served himself food, Dan steps forward to take some, however he only serves up a small amount, too afraid that Phil will protest if he takes more. Dan begins to lead Phil over to the table, yet he stops and hesitates. “May I… May I please put on clothes, sir?”

Phil considers it for a long while. “No.” The look of surprise and irritation that flashes over Dan’s face is priceless, and Phil wants that to be a constant in his life. 

There isn’t much conversation while they eat, but Phil keeps an eye on Dan, watching him and looking for another thing to prod at and make Dan beg again.

As Dan hesitantly shovels food into his mouth, he takes a break to take a sip of water, however when Phil reaches across the table to snatch Dan’s fork with a bit of food on it and then holds it up in front of him, another flash of irritation crosses Dan’s face. 

“May I have that back, please?” Dan frowns.

“Eat,” Phil says, showing no sign of moving until Dan does so.

“How?” Dan frowned, annoyance again crossing his face once again as his gaze went nervously down to his plate, before meeting Phil’s eyes again. He had a sinking feeling, but he refused to give in to it and instead simply glared.

Instead of answering verbally, Phil just raises his eyebrows and nods his head at the fork in his hands. Of course, Dan could go get another fork, but Phil doesn’t think he will. His aim is to break Dan down, make him completely and utterly dependant on Phil, so much so that he couldn’t feed himself if he wanted to. Dan’s only wants and needs should only be related to Phil’s. And so, a staring contest quickly arises between the two of them. Phil won’t back down, and Dan won’t accept the mouthful of food being offered to him.

“No,” Dan says after a moment of glaring at the tidbit as if it is going to bite him instead of the other way around. When Phil doesn't waver, Dan bites his lip, and shakes his head again, this time more forcefully. “No, I won't.”

When Phil still refuses to reply, not moving so much as his glare, Dan’s stomach rumbles and his confidence ebbs. “No, I… I can feed myself. I can, Phil. Please, I can.” Dan’s lip trembles, the events of the day taking their toll and becoming evident in his exhausted eyes. Suddenly he stomps his foot like an angry child. “I can!”

“I know you can, but it’ll do you well to behave. I can get the sound again if you’d prefer,” Phil says coldly. “Eat, or dinner won’t be warm.” It’s evident he won’t give in to Dan’s antics. “You either eat like this or you can go to bed hungry and with the sound in you, Dan.”

Dan glares at Phil, however at the mention of the sound fear flashes across his face, and suddenly he's shaking his head, now pale and within moments he's leaning forward and biting the food off the fork, his eyes on Phil for only a moment before his eyes go to the floor, shame blaringly obvious on his face.

“No need to be ashamed, sweetheart,” Phil says, taking a bite of his own food.

The meal continues on like that, Phil alternating between feeding himself and Dan, who can’t keep a blush off of his face. After the dishes and garbage have been thrown away, Dan and Phil go back to playing chess, a game which Dan nearly wins, but is quickly pushed back and put into checkmate. It all happens in three moves, and then the game, too, is put away. By now, Dan is obviously tired and Phil should really be getting home. Not that he doesn’t love playing with Dan, he can’t afford to be seen leaving the flat in the morning.

“Phil?” Dan speaks softly. He yawns, the action nearly adorable, before he blinks sleepily and almost leans against Phil. “I'm sleepy. I want to go to sleep… May I go to sleep?  May we sleep?” Dan yawns again, eyelids drooping.

“Go to bed,” Phil says, fighting the urge to push Dan off of him.

“Mmkay,” Dan smiled, slumping against Phil, yet Phil leans away, making Dan whimper in annoyance, however at the same time a glimmer of hope shone upon him. “On my own?”

“Just sleep,” Phil says, avoiding the question.

Dan blinks at Phil, apparently not quite understanding, but he is too tired to argue, so he curls up and is asleep within moments. His head falls onto Phil’s shoulder, Dan’s face angelic in sleep.

Once he’s sure Dan’s asleep, Phil slips out from underneath him and walks out the door, a smirk on his face.  _ It’s almost too easy _ .


	4. The Bad Things I Like

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 of Bad Things Weekend :)) I had my MRI today so keep me in your prayers please loves

Dan feels sore when he wakes, and he moans softly, beginning to stretch when suddenly pain shoots through him, and he lets out a wail. Pain is shooting up and down his back, and suddenly Dan is all too aware that he is stark naked. It's then that the previous day rushes through his mind. Dan goes from shocked, to frightened, to incredibly angry. He had made a promise to himself, and he has broken that promise. Dan growls, ripping at his hair before wailing again in pain, his whole body sore. Dan stumbles to his feet, boiling a pot of tea which he drinks slowly before running himself a hot bath and thinking things over. 

When he exits, the picture on the mantle mocks him, and Dan breaks down crying, before he steels his nerve and shakes his head. He knows what he must do, no matter the cost. He couldn't do this, this wouldn't happen, and so Dan shuts and double, triple locks all entrances into his house, and then sits down to make the call. No matter the cost, he is giving warning of dropping the case of Phil Lester.

At ten a.m. sharp, Phil walks into the courthouse. He got the call this morning that Dan was dropping the case on grounds of emotional involvement, and now he’s  _ pissed _ .

“Daniel James Howell,” he says slowly as he walks into Dan’s office unannounced. “I warned you, did I not?”

Dan looks up, startled, and he lets out a small gasp, stumbling to his feet. “Stay away from me. I… I'll scream. Stay away from me. I can't love you, you're a monster. You don't love me, you were just using me. You did not have my permission. I know you don't love me.”

“I’m not going away,” Phil says, and looks at Dan with his head cocked to one side for a moment. “You know that, don’t you, sweetheart? You’re taking my case, and you know why?”

“I… Why would I?” Dan growls softly, looking away from Phil, unable to look at him and keep his heart beat down. “You don't care about my reputation, you don't love me.”

Phil just smiles and shakes his head at Dan. “There are some very incriminating things in your apartment, Dan. Bloody murder weapons, a note in your own handwriting listing the names of three people who died last night but haven’t been reported to the media yet. I wonder what the cops would think if they were tipped off about those things in your home, where to their knowledge, no one else lives.” He pulls Dan to his feet by the collar of his shirt. “Or, you could be a good boy, and you can take my case. I didn’t fuck you last night, Dan. I played with you. You said please. You’ve done BDSM before. You have  _ nothing _ against me, but you have everything to lose by making me angry.”

Dan’s desperate eyes search Phil’s for any sign of dishonestly, and yet Phil’s face was perfectly honest, and Dan sniffled, hopelessness welling in his chest. “If I take you back… When I take you back, I… Phil, BDSM isn't about just… Just anything for me, can't you see that? It's… He was the only one, we were happy. He died Phil… He died! They found him. I thought he was happy but… But he did it to himself! He died, Phil! I don't understand why… Phil, you don't understand, I… I know you're just playing with me!” Dan almost stomps his foot again in frustration, telling himself this as much as he was telling Phil, yet with Phil smirking at him, Dan feels like somehow maybe he is incorrect, or something.

“It isn’t just anything, I never claimed it was. I love you, Dan, the only question is whether or not you’re willing to pledge the same honor to me. Dan-” Phil laughs to himself. “You didn’t say no. You didn’t say stop until you were being punished, and I did. Even then, it wasn’t even saying stop. When I had you like that, you promised me a lot of things. I don’t take promises lightly.”

“I promised…” Dan whimpered, his promise suddenly sticking in Dan’s mind, and he looks up at Phil in horror. “Oh no… I remember. Oh… Love…” Dan blinked adorably, as if suddenly everything must be very clear and go in one certain direction.

“That’s right. Now, be a good boy and get to the case. I won’t do well in prison, I have too many enemies.” He pats Dan’s cheek and pulls out his phone to text.  _ He fell for it, hook line and sinker _ , Phil thinks. There was no murder, nothing to frame Dan for, but the boy’s so damn naive and gullible.

“I… I'll work hard,” Dan murmurs, nodding. “I haven't had a case I couldn't win. Not that I've had many. But you... You have evidence on your side. They're accusing you of dealing drugs, and even though we all know you have, your particular accuser doesn't have any witnesses, and I can file this under this regulation.” Dan begins listing off loopholes and footnotes that most lawyers wouldn't glance at twice, ignoring the predatory glare that Phil has aimed at him. “Does this sound alright?”

“You’re the lawyer,” Phil says with feigned disinterest, but can’t help but be a little impressed at Dan’s attention to detail. “Hey, want to go to lunch?”

“Lunch?” Dan looked up in shock. “Lunch with you? Not in public, I hope…. I just mean… I mean we could?” Dan swallows.

Phil laughs quietly. “Don’t be so nervous. I’m your client, kitten, no one will think anything of it unless you can’t keep your hands out of my pants.”

“I'll be fine,” Dan frowns at Phil, turning his nose up. “I'll call your case back in…. One moment, let me try to explain this.”

Dan picks the phone up, using his own sense of humour and smooth talking to play the situation off. Then he nods, moving to stand beside Phil, and when Phil’s hand ghosts along Dan’s hip, Dan tenses, but doesn't move to stop Phil.

Dan drives the two to a restaurant that Phil suggests, parking outside. He's almost surprised when Phil’s hand doesn't go around his waist, and when they're lead to a corner of the restaurant hidden from peeping eyes, Dan glances at the silverware, and then Phil. Waiting expectantly to see if Phil would take it away or not.

“You're nervous,” Phil says without looking away from the menu. “This wine is excellent,” he adds, almost as an afterthought.

When Dan doesn’t answer, Phil looks at him with one eyebrow raised. The boy seems almost far away, like his thoughts have taken him somewhere other than here.

“May I?” Dan asks nervously, looking pointedly at the silverware. He isn't sure why he is thinking twice about whether or not he should do something as simple as pick up a fork, and yet some delicate part of his mind feels like it's been violated and changed, as if he was taken into his most vulnerable state and he hadn't fully exited it, instead feeling trapped inside a strange dream. After a moment Dan blinks up at Phil, his gaze not quite frightened, but certainly not comfortable.

“There’s nothing in front of you to eat, but I suppose you may handle your silverware as you please,” Phil says with disinterest, and flags down the waiter, pointing at something on the menu. “A bottle of this please.”

Dan watches looking something like a deer in the headlights as Phil orders the wine. He simply shakes his head at the waiter before looking down at his menu. He glances up to see Phil silently glancing over his own, so Dan decides that when the waiter returns he will order a pasta dish.

“You’re still nervous. Offput. Something’s wrong. Are you alright, Dan?”

“Me?” Dan swallows, glancing up at Phil. Dan blushes at the way Phil seems to be looking him over critically, studying him as if maybe almost concerned, but Dan can't tell. He swallows, but when Phil continues to make eye contact, he shrugs. “I dunno… Yeah, no I'm fine. I've just been… Sensitive?” Dan blushes again, looking away and not sure why he shared that with Phil.

“Sensitive,” Phil says slowly, smirking. “Alright. Whatever you need to tell yourself.”

He makes up his mind on what he wants as the waiter approaches with wine and two flutes, popping open the bottle and pouring them both a generous amount. Watching Dan carefully, Phil raises his glass in a silent proposition for a toast.

Dan blinks at Phil for a moment, before a hesitant smile comes to his face, and then Dan gently clinks his glass with Phil’s. After that both boys are raising their glasses to their lips, and Dan lets the wonderful taste wash over him. Whatever Phil has chosen is absolutely enthralling, and it causes Dan’s eyes to widen before he takes another plentiful sip, licking his lips afterward to capture all of the flavour. “It's wonderful…”

“Only the best for you,” Phil says before turning his attention to the waiter and ordering something long and french. He orders something for Dan as well, not bothering to listen for what Dan wants. “Trust me,” he adds when Dan gives him a strange look.

“If you say so,” Dan frowns, taking another sip of wine. “So, should we talk about your trial? Or is there something else you'd like to talk about? Like why you wanted to take me to lunch.”

That makes Phil laugh. “I have no specific topic of conversation, and is it that inconceivable that I may just want to spend time with you, love?”

“Oh,” Dan blushes brightly, looking back down into his wine and taking another sip if only to avoid eye contact, not because Dan doesn't want to look at Phil, but because the way Phil smirks gently at Dan makes his heart feel like it's fluttering. “This place is quite nice, I'm glad you know about it. It's kind of romantic, and I guess that's appropriate it considering... Well, you know.” Dan plays with a piece of bread the waiter had set in front of them.

“You’re too cute,” is all Phil says, and leans over the table to kiss Dan, one of his hands holding the boy’s cheek and the other on Dan’s knee under the table.

Dan looks up at Phil in shock, his mouth opening in a slight O as he leans into Phil’s hand before he retracts it teasingly, leaving Dan to gaze over at him in silent wonder. “Thank you. I mean, not thank you. That's not what I meant. I just mean… Well, I dunno about last night, but I missed it, to be honest. Last night kind of feels fuzzy for some reason, but I think I liked it. I think I missed it more than I realised. Um… I didn't think I'd ask this, but would you like to come over again?” Dan takes another sip of wine.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

With that, the rest of the meal is spent in near silence as they both eat, Phil watching Dan take each bite, fingers occasionally twitching but remaining firmly near his own food. He orders them a sundae to share, which he does feed to Dan, but this time, it’s excusable. After the meal, Phil and Dan walk outside, Phil’s arm wrapped around Dan’s waist. 

“I’ll see you after work,” Phil says, leaving Dan in front of his car and walking to the street corner, where a limo pulls up, speeding away once Phil gets inside.

Dan licks his lips, unsure why a stab of lonely helplessness assaults him, however he shakes it off and heads back to work for an unproductive day that he blames on all the wine he'd drank at lunch. By the end of the day Dan gives a little sigh, marching out to his car and distantly wondering if Phil will follow through and show up today. Dan says he wouldn't mind if Phil doesn't, in fact that would probably be better, and yet some strange ache inside of Dan wants the physicality and closeness that Phil could potentially give him. Soon he's home, and he slips inside.

When Dan gets home, Phil’s waiting on his couch, bent over the phone in his hands, eyebrows furrowed in either frustration or concentration, it’s impossible to tell. “Sit,” he says by way of acknowledging Dan’s presence.

“Is everything alright?” Dan murmurs, entering the room and moving to sit beside Phil on the couch.

“On the floor,” Phil commands, ignoring Dan’s question and continuing to type on his phone.

Dan glances at Phil, his own eyebrows furrowing at that, however he slowly does as he’s told, looking up at Phil with his deep brown angelic eyes. Dan licks his full lips, as if going to say something, however he's silenced before he starts speaking by Phil petting his soft curls for a few moments before going back to texting, and it works, resulting in Dan’s stunned silence as he gazes up at Phil, strangely delighted and half hoping it'll happen again.

“I’ve been thinking about how I want to play with you tonight, but I haven’t decided yet,” Phil says. “And I want to wait to fuck you until you earn it by doing a good job on my case. You can handle that, can’t you, kitten?”

“O-of course,” Dan speaks, his voice unusually high and not quite nervous. He watches Phil, before the word kitten slowly registers in Dan’s mind, flipping switches and bringing back memories from  _ before _ . Dan’s eyes widen as flashes of Chris assault him, and almost without his permission, Dan suddenly bumps and nuzzles Phil’s knee, a soft impatient noise leaving Dan’s mouth. It almost sounds like a little meow.

The sound makes Phil smile and shake his head. “You like that name, don’t you, kitten?” He doesn’t wait for Dan to answer, just runs his fingers through Dan’s hair, pushing it this way and that. It calms Dan down, luckily, leaving Phil to continue to try and wrap up the business he left behind to come to Dan’s tonight.

Dan closes his eyes, relishing the feeling of Phil’s hands running through his hair, scratching occasionally and stroking this way and that. It brings Dan back to a happy time, and Dan lets out a tiny, happy noise, his head slowly falling onto Phil’s knee. Dan breathes gently, apparently completely satisfied and happy with these pets, but eventually Dan feels Phil stir slightly, and he lets out another soft meow, blinking his eyes open to look up at the man.

“Cute little pet,” Phil says almost fondly, and stands up. “Follow.” He turns on his heel and walks to Dan’s room, going through the chest at the foot of Dan’s bed containing things left over from when Dan and Chris were together. Phil’s eyes are drawn to the lacy collar on the top, clearly the most frequently used. It has a tag that says ‘Property of Chris Kendall,’ which Phil rips off and jams in his pocket. By the time Dan gets into the room, it’s like nothing even happened in the first place.

Dan hesitates in the door, before making his way over to Phil, nuding him gently and not yet noticing what's in his hands. He doesn't notice, in fact, until he cranes his neck upwards, and then he freezes, all of the blood draining from his face. He stares at the collar, then Phil, then the collar again, and he lets out a little breath before he suddenly closes his eyes against the strange hurricane of emotions that erupt over him. He seems unable to open his eyes, in fact, until there's a soft shuffling and he feels a hand land on the nape of his neck. His almost pink eyes then open, and he blinks nervously up at Phil, a strange mix of emotion swirling inside of Dan.

“I’m going to put this collar on you now, kitten,” Phil says, petting the boy’s hair again briefly to placate him.

Dan makes a soft humming noise, the touch calming him, and the feeling of the collar being secured around his neck makes Dan let out a louder hum, a sort of safety washing over him. He shakes, waiting for the sound of jangles to meet his ears, and yet none greet him, and suddenly Dan lets out a soft, mewling wail as he realises the tag is missing.

“Shhh.”

Then Phil gestures toward the bed for Dan to climb onto, nodding in approval when the boy does. He also realizes that Dan looks  _ fucking fantastic _ in a suit, but then again, the boy looks better naked.

“Strip for me, kitten.”

Dan clumsily sheds his pants and jacket, his fingers catching in his shirt buttons clumsily. He remembers Chris never made him undress himself when he was in a state like this, and he makes a soft sound of frustration when he continues to struggle. He also remembers the rule Chris had, the reasonable rule that Dan had always loved, and so Dan simply lets out annoyed mewls and squeaks rather than verbally expressing his helplessness.

“What’s the problem, slut?” Phil asks, sounding more bored than anything else. “You can’t take off your own clothes?” He shakes his head and walks up behind Dan, pushing him down until he’s forced to lie on the bed, and grabs a switch from his pocket. “Disappointing.” He cuts off Dan’s clothes, the second suit of Dan’s he’s ruined in as many days. “Go on, I won’t physically take these off of you.”

Dan’s lip trembles slightly as he shakes himself, the strips of cloth falling away. The tone in Phil’s voice isn't comforting and caring, instead it's superior in a way that makes Dan feel helpless in a way that he isn't sure he likes. Chris made him feel helpless before giving him love and affection, right now Dan feels almost felt useless, yet he simply lets out a whimper, turning his head to look at Phil with innocent, naive confusion.

“What’re you looking at, whore?” He sneers. “Are you looking to be punished?”

Dan whimpers again, quickly turning his head back into the mattress, shivering slightly in anticipation. Somehow he isn't sure what to expect. Just in case, he raises himself slightly, before tensing, remembering that this isn't Chris and that he should expect the unexpected. And yet that seems wrong. Of course Phil wouldn't hurt him. Dan is in his collar, and Phil must know what that means, so Dan slowly untenses.

“I wonder,” Phil starts, running a hand up Dan’s spine and setting it on his neck. “What makes you so pliant when I call you kitten and tell you what to do? Perhaps you’re so much of a whore that you’ll just lie on your back for any man willing to take you. Or maybe I’m special. I’ll be making something worthwhile out of you,” he muses.

Dan mews softly, truly sounding like a tiny, confused kitten at Phil’s words. His voice is smooth and alluring, however, so Dan relaxes and sinks into the soft mattress, simply enjoying the feel of Phil’s steady, comforting hands which occasionally stroke him before settling again on his sensitive neck. He smiles softly, eyes closed, simply breathing, nuzzling, and rustling his head as he gets more comfortable.

Without thinking, Phil slips his hand around to Dan’s throat and gets a tight hold on it, watching the way is makes Dan’s cheeks blush red and his breathing becomes more labored. “You like this,” he accuses. “You live for the feeling of being used.”

Dan flushes even brighter at those words, yet he can't help the way he's being turned on, bucking upwards slightly while gasping and gagging a little under Phil’s hand around his throat. He gazes at Phil, choking slightly, but his look still trusting, either because of the collar or because he's never been hurt before during something like this. When he swoons slightly, he almost smiles, feeling lighter than he had in a long time.

“Pretty boy,” Phil says, but it sounds less like a pet name, a term of endearment, and more like an insult. “How much do you want tonight? How badly do you want to hurt when you wake up?”

Dan pants when the hand finally disappears from around his throat. He hears Phil’s words, but he's too light headed to hear the tone or for them to really register, and so he cocks his head adorably at Phil. He hesitates, before he shifts so that his head has found its way onto Phil’s lap and he nudges it under Phil’s hand hopefully, turning belly up. His eyes are bright and cute, and he smiles innocently at Phil, fluttering his long eyelashes.

“Daniel, I asked a question,” Phil says sharply, slapping Dan across the face none too lightly. It won’t leave a mark, but it’s enough to hurt like a mother fucker. “Stop acting like a bitch in heat and answer me!”

The reply is a whimper, Dan’s face falling in confusion. He searches Phil’s eyes as if trying to figure out a hard puzzle, and then he attempts to tilt his head down to the collar, trying to make Phil understand. Somehow Chris not being here doesn't seem to matter to Dan, because in Dan’s heart this collar is Chris’, and Dan knows and remembers those rules as if it was yesterday. For a moment happiness rushes over him at the memory, and yet his throbbing cheek pulls him back to the present and he whimpers softly again, a tortured, indecisive noise.

Sighing, Phil strikes Dan across the other cheek. “Are you mute or something? Honestly.” He’s aware, of course, that Dan’s deep in headspace and his mind elsewhere, but it’s more fun to berate Dan and force him to submit than deal with the boy as he is. What’s the fun in breaking someone who’s already broken?

There's a sniffle, and suddenly the other boy has tears in his eyes as he stares up at Phil. His posture is becoming tense, and then Dan is curling up slightly, frightened and lost. He nudges Phil again, before wincing and tensing, waiting to be hit. When the hit doesn't come, Dan risks a glance up at Phil to see the other boy glaring down at him, his face the picture of annoyance and anger. Dan pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, letting out a pitiful noise before his lips forded themselves to form a clumsy word. “Sorry?”

“Is that an apology or a question, you worthless piece of shit?” Phil knows he’s probably being a bit too harsh for only his second session, but he can’t  _ help _ it when Dan looks at him like a kicked puppy. It’s annoying.

Within moments the room is full of little sobs as Dan tries to control himself, but loses his emotions anyway. He tries to form another word, but struggles desperately with it. When it seems to fail, Dan burrows his face in the duvet.

“Christ,” Phil mutters under his breath. “Hey, kitten, look at me.” Dan doesn’t lift his face up. “I said look at me,” Phil repeats, more forcefully this time. 

Dan makes another little sob before looking up at Phil, his eyes red and little tear tracks down his face. He cringes and flinches, expecting something horrible.

Phil smiles convincingly and pets Dan’s hair. “Next time, I need you to listen, okay, sweetheart?”

Dan’s eyes search Phil’s for hostility, but when he doesn't seem to find any, he slowly nods once, though it's hard to tell if he knows what exactly he's agreeing to. He sniffles, and seems to hesitate, an almost smile appearing on his face, before it fades and he simply gazes at Phil again, as if waiting for his next move.

“You look at me like this is a game of chess. We’re not equals, kitten. You belong to me. We’re not on the same level. You are here to serve me. Am I clear?” Phil asks, hand slowly tightening in Dan’s hair.

“Y-y-yes sir?” Dan murmurs nervously, the words forced out, however he looks at Phil hopefully, the tiny smile back as he waits, seeming to think Phil’s reaction to this will be good.

It’s the response Phil wanted, but not how he wanted it. “Is that a statement or a question?”

“Yes sir,” Dan repeats, the words still forced, however they're more natural than before. This time he doesn't stutter, and it sounds like Dan is attempting to sound almost seductive.

“Good boy. Are you able to pull yourself together enough to continue tonight?”

“Yes sir,” Dan nods hopefully, searching Phil’s eyes to see if this is the right answer. 

It was. “Hands and knees again, kitten.” As soon as Dan does, Phil’s hands are closed around a paddle and the first sharp swat lands on Dan’s ass. “If I remember correctly, you’re supposed to reply when asked questions, yes?” He says conversationally.

“Yes sir,” Dan agrees proudly after wincing a little from the slap. He seems apparently happy with this ability to reply with these words, despite his order ingrained in his mind from Chris to never speak when in the collar.

“Good boy.”


	5. Don't Think I Can Explain It

After two and a half hours of play, Phil quietly lets himself out of the flat while Dan’s in the shower. The boy is full of surprises, but Phil knows he can handle it. They don’t have another meeting scheduled for almost two weeks, the day before the opening statements of the trial, so Phil decides not to even visit Dan. It’ll drive him crazy, make him miss Phil, and that’s exactly what Phil wants. By the end of this case, he wants Dan completely and totally reliant on Phil, and he knows he’ll be able to achieve it as well.

Dan’s time in the shower slowly helps to calm him, and when he comes out he wanders the flat, looking for Phil, yet when he can't find him, Dan whimpers. He searches for almost an hour, wandering to and fro, yet when he can't find the other boy, Dan finds himself whining, and he curls in bed, wrapped around a pillow, cuddling it closely, hopeful that it's able to calm him.

By the morning, Dan is relatively back to normal, and yet despite last night he's aching to see Phil again. Searching for his calendar, Dan suddenly realises how long it is until when he's meant to see Phil, and the time span makes his jaw drop. Surely Phil will show up before then, however, so Dan puts on one of his remaining suits and heads to work. When he comes home, Phil isn't there, so Dan waits for the next day. When Phil still doesn't appear, Dan grows worried, but it isn't until a week passes that Dan is nearly tearing his hair out for his longing of Phil.

When he comes home on the first day of the second week, his fingers gloss over his collar, and immediately tears well in his eyes. He holds it in his hands, petting over it, and wishing desperately for Chris.

In the meanwhile, Phil’s been busy, taking care of rats and making sure that his jury won’t be rendering a guilty verdict. Sure, it’s not legal, but since when has Phil ever given half of a shit about laws? He manages to get three jurors set on not guilty, enough to hang the jury, and keeps a close eye on Dan to make sure that he won’t be dropping the case or telling anyone what sort of things have been happening. Dan, being the scared little kitten he is, doesn’t say a word.

Eventually the time comes for Phil’s next meeting with Dan, and he purposefully comes nearly an hour late and with flowers. “Morning, Mr. Howell.”

It seems like forever since Dan has seen the other boy, and when he hears the man’s voice, he's sure he's imagining things. And yet, when he looks up, there stands the man who has been unraveling Dan’s life and work for the past two weeks. There are slight bags under Dan’s eyes, and yet when he sees Phil, Dan’s face lights up.

“Phil?” Dan’s voice is a mere whisper. “You're back?”

“I have to be,” Phil says with a smirk. “For you,” he adds, giving an exaggerated bow and holding the flowers he brought, dark red roses, out for Dan to take.

Dan’s eyes move to the roses as if in shock, and yet he takes them slowly, burying his face in the sweet smell before looking up again. He lifts his face slowly up to stare at Phil again, and then he's placing the roses on his desk, before stepping forward and almost taking Phil’s hands in his own, before suddenly he stops, some memory kicking in, and then he ducks his head. “May I?”

For an instant Phil thinks, and then he takes Dan by surprise by pulling him into a tight hug, burying his face in Dan’s hair and splaying his hands across Dan’s lower back, one of them slipping beneath Dan’s shirt. “You’ve kept me busy,” Phil says accusingly, as though it’s Dan’s fault he’s been distancing himself from the younger.

“Me?” Dan asks softly, clearly confused. “I… I know we weren't meant to see each other for a while but…. But I thought you'd come back. You know the last night we had, it was only the second I guess…. I didn't feel the same after that. I don't remember everything that happened, actually, I'm not sure why. But when I try to think about it I almost…” Instead of finishing his sentence, Dan blinks and tears spring into his eyes. “But I've missed you. And I've kept this close.”

To Phil’s shock, Dan suddenly steps behind his desk, unlocks a drawer, and slips out the collar. “I don't know why, but when I left it at home I worked even worse than when I didn't. But I've been working hard on your case. I can't let anything happen to you, you know. I can't let you disappear to jail… Like you said, you could get hurt there.” Dan holds the collar up, like a delicate prize.

“Kitten, that’s a dangerous move to make,” Phil says slowly, looking between Dan’s collar and his face. “I appreciate it, I appreciate your dedication and your loyalty, but bringing that around is downright  _ stupid _ .”

He contradicts his words by kissing Dan, adding as much passion and need as he can until Dan is melting against him.

“I've kept it locked up,” Dan moans through the kiss. “No one could find it. I kept it locked up for you.” Dan almost moves his hands to cup Phil’s neck and run along his back, and yet another memory kicks in, and instead the younger boy simply tangles his hands in Phil’s shirt, pushing upwards into the kiss, before allowing Phil’s kiss to consume him, moaning softly and sinking against him, eyes closed.

“Locking it up isn’t good enough if they get a warrant,” Phil argues, his hands slipping down to grope Dan through his pants, humming appreciatively at the way it makes Dan’s hips jerk forward into his.

“I'm sorry, sir,” Dan apologises through his little pants, rocking against Phil. “I've missed you so much… I've missed you, sir. I was afraid I'd lost you too…” Dan’s face almost grows sad, but when Phil’s hands knead at Dan, the younger boy dissolves into tiny noises of pleasure. Once he finds his voice again, he forces out another sentence. “I'll do anything to keep you from leaving me again.”

“Anything- you make a lot of promises Dan, and I’m not sure how many you intend to keep,” Phil warns, slotting one thigh in between Dan’s for him to grind against. “Think about this. You’re about to make a promise that will change your life, and you should know exactly what you’re getting yourself into right now.”

The noise that comes from Dan’s mouth is intoxicating and full of pleasure, and the boy hums before nodding. “I-I never realised how much I missed this until you came… And even if parts seem almost missing, it must be because they're so wonderful that they've just disappeared. The whole time you were gone I was so afraid. I was afraid you were never coming back, and I’d never get to have this again and-” Dan breaks off as Phil backs Dan up against the wall, moving one hand to snatch Dan’s wrists, and Dan shivers with the feeling, his words being interrupted by a little, contented groan. Once he finds his voice again, Dan cuts his speech short. “Please don't leave me again, please, I don't need to be here anymore today. Can we go back to mine?”

“If I agree to stay with you,” Phil begins, taking his time and picking his words out slowly. “Then your flat will not be yours. You’ll live with me, in my home. You’ll be pampered and protected, and the only cost is that you serve me. After my case is over, you never have to worry about anything again.”

“Honest?” The look that Dan gives Phil is so full of innocent, honest, naive love that he almost resembles a puppy who just got given a new home. The way he looks at Phil, and the way he's acting, makes Phil slowly begin to realise something. Dan may never have fully and completely snapped out of the space that Phil put him in all those many nights ago.

“Honest,” Phil says, but his metaphorical fingers are crossed. “Wrap up here tonight, and I’ll take you home. There’s already multiple tailored suits for you in court and clothes you’ll be expected to wear around the house.”

“Of course,” Dan nods, chocolate eyes wide. He hurried with the remainder of his tasks, and before long he has the collar wrapped in his jacket, and he's following Phil outside. He is silent until they get to the car, at which point Dan is immediately on Phil. “Are you going to stay at my house tonight? Maybe just for a little while? I've been practicing being good for you. I can even speak better while in my collar, if that's what you would like.”

“We’re not going to your house, Daniel, I’ve made that explicitly clear,” Phil says, and holds out his hands. “Keys.”

Dan blinks as suddenly his heart jumps into his throat. He isn't sure why he's suddenly so tense, and yet he slowly fishes into his pocket and draws out the keys, his eyes never once leaving Phil’s. As he drops the keys into Phil’s palm with a  _ clink _ , Dan feels some strange sense of finality fall over him, though its source and reason remain hidden.

“Good boy. In the car, now.”

Once both of them are seated and buckled in, Phil peels out of the parking lot on his way to where he lives, which is a luxurious mansion downtown with a generous wait staff and guards at every door. In his home, which is really more of a palace, Phil is essentially the king. When they get there, Phil guides Dan inside and up to a room with a huge, downy bed with dark grey sheets and a checkered duvet. He commands Dan to strip and tosses the clothes into the rubbish bin.

“Wear what you please from the dresser, dinner is in thirty minutes, and put this on.” He gestures loosely at Dan’s collar and walks out of the room, shutting the door behind him with a soft  _ click _ .

The room is fit for royalty, and at the moment Dan nearly feels like Cinderella. He’s quick to slip the collar on before touring the room and finding a mirror where he examines the way his collar sits upon his throat, just above the collarbone. It frames his curls beautifully, and Dan’s fingers lift slowly to his neck, where they reach for something that used to be the most important part, yet his fingertips only meet velvet. He swallows hard, before turning away from the mirror and stalking over to the dresser. 

He fishes through silks, searching for something besides lingerie and doesn't come up with much. When his fingers touch black velvet, however, he pulls out the softest leotard he's ever felt. Slipping it on, he examines himself in the mirror and immediately smiles, his fingers playing with the silky tail that falls between his legs. Fishing around the drawer some more reveals velvet soft ears, which he fits upon his head. The way his curls come up around them, they nearly look real, and Dan practically beams. Checking a clock makes Dan swallow so he rushes to open the door and begins to make his way downstairs. It's time for dinner.

“You’re late,” Phil says when Dan finally finds the dining hall. A glance at the clock confirms that he’s late by about a minute and a half, but Phil doesn’t give Dan any time to argue. “Sit down, I suppose, you’ll be dealt with later.” The words themselves aren’t too threatening, but the way they’re delivered make it sound darker than they should.

“Yes sir,” Dan nods quickly, swallowing slightly as his eyes search the table. Besides Phil’s chair, there's one one other at the moment, so he slides into the small wooden chair beside Phil’s grandiose one. This chair places him at a lower height than Phil. He's so low, in fact, that he feels almost childlike. There are no utensils at his place, and so he looks to Phil with that same flash of annoyance and confusion.

“You seem annoyed,” Phil says as though it’s some great revelation. “Are you not grateful you’re not being made to pay rent or for food or clothes?”

“I… Sorry, I am,” Dan states, ducking his head and trying to sort out why Phil’s statement seems so logical and yet it makes Dan feel like there's something missing from his conclusion. “Um… Thank you, sir? I mean, thank you. Will you be feeding me during my stay here?”

“I would assume I feed you, otherwise you’ll starve.”

Phil knows what Dan means of course, but it’s much more fun to watch Dan splutter and try to think of a response than straight out answer his questions. He ignores Dan’s strange look, smiling when someone brings him a meal and a glass of champagne to drink from. A glass of water is placed in front of Dan, and it feels like everyone here knows how far beneath Phil Dan is. 

Dan shifts in his chair as the servants begin to wait hand and foot on Phil, refilling his champagne glass just moments after he takes a generous sip, yet when Dan sips his own water, no one bats an eyelash. In fact, no one seems to look at Dan at all, it's as if he isn't even in the room, and it makes Dan swallow and sink further into his chair, appearing nervous, though he's not sure what exactly is giving him this odd feeling. Finally, after long moments of silence and Dan staring at Phil, Phil lifts a tidbit of food in Dan’s direction.

“Eat,” he says with disinterest, not even bothering to look at Dan. “Or go hungry, I really don’t care.”

After a moment's hesitation, Dan leans forward, licking and biting the food into his mouth. He waits expectantly for more, however Phil simply goes back to his own dinner. It's several minutes before Phil offers up another piece to Dan, who this time is quicker about consuming the morsel, his stomach rumbling.

Phil notices and shakes his head, smiling. “You’ll be fed, but not nearly as much as you’re used to. I want you to keep a good figure, but I don’t want you working out.” He holds out more food, and it becomes apparent that Phil’s only been feeding Dan parts of the vegetables on his plate, none of the steak or potatoes and gravy.

Dan does say anything, simply takes the nibbles of vegetables until nearly everything else is gone, however suddenly Dan speaks, his voice thin and nervous. “The trial tomorrow… I should have a little, you know, stuff to make sure I'm ready, I have energy. If I'm going to represent you as well as I'd like…”

“That’ll be taken care of,” Phil says dismissively. “You’ve had coffee before, yes? It’s more of a gateway than anything else, but it’s a start.”

“I… I'm don't like coffee very much,” Dan murmurs, before ducking his head almost shamefully, afraid of Phil’s reaction.

Phil smiles. “Then we don’t have to start with coffee, we can get you on the stronger stuff immediately.” His words are said cheerfully, but they sound ominous and threatening. “After dinner, come with me to my room.”

Dan blinks nervously, eyeing the dinner staff to see their reaction to this exchange, and yet all of them seem perfectly calm, still ignoring Dan, so the boy bites his lip and takes another tidbit of veggies. Before long, Phil is done with his meal. He begins to stand, and so Dan follows suit, also beginning to stand to his even taller height, and yet Phil glares at him, causing Dan to shrink in confusion.

“Follow,” is all Phil says and starts walking quickly, not bothering to see if Dan follows him. “Remember these hallways, I won’t show you the way again.” 

Dan scurries along behind Phil until they turn a corner and reach the end, and Dan balks. Two humongous double doors with gigantic golden door handles meet his eyes, yet Phil throws them open like they're nothing, and so Dan follows him in to find the most beautiful bedroom he's ever seen. The high ceilings are carved with patterns, and a gigantic, four poster bed sits on one side of the room, a deep blue bedsheet covering the plush mattress. As Dan’s eyes continue to roam, he freezes, swallowing. On a table beside the bed sits an array of tools, some of which he recognises, like the ropes, leash, paddle, and other similar tools, and some of which he hasn't the slightest idea about.

“I want to try some things with you tonight.” Once Dan’s fully inside, Phil shuts the door and the lock clicks ominously. “Strip for me, please.”

Dan looks down at the cat-like leotard regretfully, however he strips down anyway, leaving the ears on his head and the collar around his neck.

Flicking one of the ears, Phil rakes his eyes over Dan’s body. “Good choice tonight, kitten. You look pretty for me.”

“Thank you, sir,” Dan murmurs, already beginning to slowly fall into his headspace. He watches Phil like a hawk, though, as he analyses Dan and then looks over at the tools, as if planning something.

“Hands and knees, on the bed, I want to see how much of a stretch you can take.”

Dan scrambles over, failing twice to get on his hands and knees on the bed due to its plushy softness, yet finally he manages, waiting tensely as he hears soft clinks and rustles from behind him.

Something cold clicks around Dan’s ankles, forcing them apart, and no matter how much he struggles, Dan can’t seem to close his legs. Then the collar around his neck is tightened enough to make his breathing more shallow and his hands are wrenched behind him, leaving Dan to fall forward on his torso. Cuffs encircle his wrists and Phil smirks, running his hands through Dan’s hair, knowing how boneless it makes the boy.

Though for a moment all of the restraints make Dan’s heart beat doubly fast and he whines, his noises become mewls as he relaxes into the touch, his eyes fluttering closed as he sinks into the mattress, slowly untensing until he’s practically jello, a soft smile on his lips. A moment later, he lets out a little meow, and then a purr-like hum.

“Good boy,” Phil praises, and reaches a hand beneath Dan’s hips to start stroking him, pleased to find that the boy’s already half-hard. “Tell me, what have you had in here?” He asks, pressing on Dan’s hole with the pad of the thumb on his other hand. “Fingers, a cock, a hand…?”

Dan has to struggle to speak, however with a deep breath he manages, his voice a little higher than normal as he wades through the already present layer of fog. “Master’s fingers… And Master’s cock… But I'd like yours.”

“I’m your Master now,” Phil growls, pulling Dan’s hair harshly. “Got it?”

A whimper escapes the younger boy, the idea feeling wrong somehow, and yet a forces out a little sound of agreement, nodding into the mattress.

That pleases Phil. “Very good, kitten.” He stops touching Dan, rolling his eyes at the questioning mewl it earns him, and picks up the lube from his bedside table. He drizzles some of it on his hand and slips one finger into Dan’s hole, not giving him time to adjust before slowly beginning to pump it in and out.

He lets out a noise of surprise, it seems like a long time since this has happened, and yet he finds that he likes it, and he pushes back out to meet Phil expectantly.

“Still,” Phil demands harshly, swatting Dan’s ass, and adds another finger, speeding up his movements and seeking out Dan’s prostate.

Dan yowls in pleasure when he feels the spot being hit, and he can't help but rock, trying to push into the bed for some kind of friction but finding none.

“Stop moving or I’ll put a vibrator in you and leave you here,” sneers Phil, pulling his hand away and wiping the lube on Dan’s lower back.

The boy immediately stills, panting slightly but forcing himself not to move again. He waits for several moments before letting out a soft, questioning sound, wondering where Phil’s hand has gone.

Ignoring Dan, Phil picks up a cane, long, smooth, and wooden. Even he’ll admit it’s harsh for such a minor infraction, but he wants to cover Dan with bruises, make him cry. The first hit is with half-strength, but it still elicits a scream from Dan and leaves behind an angry welt on Dan’s upper thighs.

Dan nearly collapses into the mattress, but he's just able to keep his position, a whimper dancing on his tongue as he tries to hold back tears. He wonders what he did wrong, and his mind searches desperately, but comes up with very little. Perhaps it was because he moved, so he holds himself still, trying to be his very best for Phil.

The second strike is across Dan’s ass, harder than the first, and is quickly followed by three more in nearly the exact same spot. The sixth falls on Dan’s lower back with a crack that makes Dan full on scream, like he’s being murdered. The seventh and eighth are on Dan’s inner thighs, and lastly, the ninth and tenth land on the arches of Dan’s feet.

“Good kittens stay still when their Masters tell them to,” Phil says deceivingly gently, starting to pet through Dan’s hair again.

Dan whimpers, tears pouring down his face and his whole body quivering uncontrollably as he attempts to hold his position for Phil, not letting his ass drop. Still, he almost curls his toes before he lets out another whimpering cry. Trying to breath through his tiny sobs, Dan stays as still as he possibly can, murmuring out a whispered, “I’m sorry Master,” using this term for Phil for the very first time.

“Forgiven,” Phil says, and sets down the cane. “I think that’s enough for tonight. You can come next time.” He undoes Dan’s restraints and loosens his collar. “Go clean yourself up, and go to bed. Someone’ll get you in the morning.”

Shaking, Dan stands, and yet he lets out a cry when pain shoots through his feet from where Phil hit him. Dan stumbles and almost falls to his hands and knees, yet by grabbing onto the bedpost Dan is just barely able to stumble from the room, down the hall, and into the bath where he cleans himself, tears pouring down his cheeks, but mostly just from the pain. He craves a session of cuddles and kisses after, but he's becoming used to not receiving it. It still makes him feel empty, though, and when he crawls into bed he hugs a pillow in place of Phil and cries himself to sleep.


	6. What Can I Say?

The next morning Dan is awoken by some impersonal butler who informs him that breakfast is to be served immediately and that Dan must dress. The butler points to a suit laid out at the bottom of the bed, before stalking from the room and leaving Dan to pull himself out of bed. He almost screams with the pain running up and down his body, and his feet ache horribly as he forces himself to walk. Very soon, however, he's dressed and he stumbles downstairs, his feet aching with every step. When he enters the dining room and collapses upon his wooden chair, simply staring down submissively into his lap, Phil only smiles.

Breakfast consists of nibbles of fruit, before some strange coffee-like liquid is placed in front of him which he is commanded to drink.

Looking at Dan’s expression of distaste, Phil raises an eyebrow. “Drink it, or you’ll be in for another punishment before we leave the house.” He watches as Dan grimaces and drinks it. “By the way, steer clear of any drug tests while that’s in your system.”

Dan pales, staring at Phil in horror. He's about to go into court attempting to defend a drug lord with drugs in his own system? Dan doesn't get a chance to reply, however, because breakfast is over and Dan stumbles to his feet with a little whimper. He has the strange feeling that he’d actually prefer to be crawling around on all fours if only to relieve himself of the pain radiating from his feet, but he forces his feet to work and then they're off to the trial.

Outside the courthouse are swarms of reporters, but Phil just puts on a pair of sunglasses and ignores them, walking into the house with Dan trailing behind him. Every question is met with Phil raising his eyebrows and eventually he slips an arm around Dan’s shoulders to pull him into the building. Once the doors shut behind them, Phil rolls his eyes and takes off his sunglasses. “Vultures,” he mutters to himself.

Dan is shaking slightly, his mind racing a mile a minute. Phil just put his arm around him in public, in front of billions of reporters, on the day of the trial. Dan lets out an unconscious whimper at the implications. His career will be ruined! What will he do? If word of what he's been up to with Phil gets out he’ll be fired and unable to ever get a case again. He blinks at Phil, yet Phil seems perfectly content to gaze around at everything besides Dan, so the younger boy tries to pull himself together and stumble into the courtroom, trying to smile and appear normal, despite whatever he drank that morning making him feel overly aware of every noise in the near vicinity.

They’re let into the courtroom and Phil immediately sits at the defense table and puts his feet on the desk. “Good morning Mr. Kjellberg!” he says cheerily, smiling at the prosecuting attorney. “Looking fine as always!”

There's noise of indignation from the other table, and Dan gazes over at the spluttering man, before ducking his head shamefully and slowly sitting beside Phil. Suddenly it washes over Dan that he's attempting to get a murderer and drug dealer back on the street, and the implications make him feel even more ashamed than he did before, however he begins to silently shuffle his papers, trying to ignore as Phil leans over to watch, breathing on Dan’s neck. This is Phil, Dan reminds himself, and he loves Phil. He's doing this for Phil, because he loves him.

“Something bothering you,  _ kitten _ ?” Phil whispers with a self-satisfied smirk.

“Stop,” Dan mutters under his breath, his heartbeat banging in his ears as he loses track of whatever he was going to say, before shivering slightly and closing his eyes. “Not now, please. I know my lines, but they can see you.”

Pouting, Phil leans back, and promptly pulls out his phone to start texting, ignoring everyone until the judge says his name sternly. “Yes?” he drawls, clicking his phone off.

“Court is in session,” she says with annoyance. Phil just shrugs and puts his phone away, looking to Dan.

Dan takes a deep breath, licking his lips several times before he slowly stands, for the first time almost frightened for all eyes to be on him. Still, he forces a smile, steps forward, and then has to grab onto the desk to keep from falling.

“Mr Howell?” The judge speaks up, concern in her voice, however Dan forces a charming smile and reassures everyone that he's fine, before standing and launching into an immaculate speech, his skin prickling as he could feel Phil’s eyes glued to him the entire time. He isn't sure why, but Dan has tearing sides in his brain. One side feels nervous to have Phil watching him like that, while the other side is gushing with pride. Phil’s attention isn't on his phone, it's on Dan, and Dan makes a purpose of trailing his hands along the desk in a way that looks businesslike to the outside world, but seductive from Phil’s point of view.

Throughout the duration of Dan’s speech, Phil watches him talk. From how much he bounces onto the balls of his feet, he seems fine, but Phil knows it’s because he can’t take the pressure elsewhere. He looks professional, but Phil’s eyes are critical, watching him for any sign of injury, any flaw in his words that points to what transpired the night before. At the end, when Dan sits back down, Phil puts a hand on Dan’s upper thigh beneath the desk, squeezing gently.

The boy’s face heats up, and he gazes over at Phil with something near to love eyes, in awe with the show of affection from Phil, however Dan is quick to look back into his notes lest someone notice, however he nudges Phil under the table, his heart thumping in excitement.

“Shh,” Phil says quietly, but his lips are quirked up into a half-smile. “You did well, I’ll have something for you later.”

Dan’s eyes light up and he beams, going through the rest of the trial on a sort of professional autopilot, his mind on whatever later might bring. They take a break for lunch, and Dan beams at Phil. So far his loopholes and attention to detail seem to be throwing the other lawyer off, making him look almost unprepared and foolish. When Dan sees him during lunch outside the courtroom, he smirks at him slightly, standing close to Phil.

“Don’t get cocky, now,” Phil says, letting a hand settle on Dan’s hip as he leans in to whisper. “This is only the beginning, you have weeks left on this case. He knows your strategy now, and won’t be as flustered tomorrow.” 

He releases Dan and sits down with a flourish, pulling out his phone instead of even thinking about grabbing something to eat. To be fair, Phil has far more important things to do than have a midday meal. Really, he’s too busy for the trial right now, but he makes exceptions in his schedule when he wants to play games. Dan is the most fun Phil’s had in years.

“Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you,” Dan replies gently, sitting beside Phil to gaze over at him, his eyes idolizing and dreamy. “Do you suppose you should eat? If you get hungry that won't be good… And is everything ok on there? Anything I can do?” Dan blinks angelically, his eyes innocent and hopeful.

Phil laughs. “A little hunger and a little drama is nothing I can’t handle on my own, kitten, don’t you worry.”

“Okay, I can fetch you a sandwich if you want?” Dan suggests just in case, searching his eyes. “There's a shop near here, and I can bring it back for you, if you want it…”

“Dan. Eat. Calm down,” Phil says, looking up at Dan from his phone. “Your nerves are getting the best of you and it’s frankly a bit irritating.”

With that, Phil’s attention is back on his phone, ignoring Dan completely. In his defense, Dan’s been taking up more time than Phil would have liked, and now he has some things that need his personal attention to settle. For example, a prostitution ring that’s about to get busted, a drug lab that’s in the process of being murdered, and one of his top lackeys being caught red-handed in a torture session. He should be fixing that, but here he is, sitting in a courthouse with a young boy who looks at him like he put the stars in the sky.

“I… I'll just bring back half of my sandwich for you,” Dan smiles gently, sure that whatever is concerning Phil must be important. Hopping up, Dan dashes into the sandwich shop, ordering something Phil might like, when suddenly a presence behind him makes Dan spin, and then take a deep steadying breath, letting out a nervous laugh. “Oh, it's just you. Hello Felix, you're grabbing lunch too I see… You stress eating? After that session, I don't blame you. I must say, this case hasn't been as hard as I was worried it would be. Best of luck to you, though.”

“I’m worried about you,” Felix says, crossing his arms. “He’s got you wrapped around his little finger.”

“What do you mean?” Dan chuckles, though he's confused when the sound comes out strangled and nervous. “Phil… Lester is just my client. I need to keep him sharp, that's the only reason I'm getting him lunch as well.”

Those words were a mistake. “I didn’t mention anything about getting him lunch. What I mean, Dan, is that you don’t seem to be yourself. You’re bouncy, jumpy, eager to please, and all for a murderer. Something isn’t right.”

“Everything is fine,” Dan replies sharply, his arms crossing his chest and his nails creating little half moons in his arms as he tries to ground himself. “I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just fine, okay? Really.” Dan bounces onto the balls of his feet with a slight wince.

“You’re not, but if anything happens, you come get me, alright?”

“I… I'm fine,” Dan murmurs, but his voice is soft, and he gazes at his shoes. When the girl at the counter calls his name, he doesn't even seem to notice, but instead seems to be shrinking into himself. After a moment, he feels a nudge from Felix, and he jumps, gazing up at him with wide brown eyes filled with a sort of adorable, boyish confusion.

After Dan gets his food and runs out, Felix shakes his head. “Fine my ass,” he mutters, but doesn’t chase after the boy.

Meanwhile, Phil’s surprised when Dan actually comes back with food, half expecting him to have gotten lost. “Twenty minutes left in lunch,” he says, sounding incredibly bored.

“This is for you,” Dan smiled gently, handing Phil half of the sandwich. “I'm sorry I wasn't faster… I ran into Felix… He was saying strange things to me. He… He said he was worried for me, or something…”

“I told you I don’t want anything to eat,” Phil says icily. “Don’t listen to him, he just wants to win the case.”  _ I’ll have to handle Felix later _ , he thinks to himself.

“Okay…” Dan hesitates, slowly lowering the sandwich, before nibbling on his own sandwich. “You know Felix was just caring about me… I don't know why he was acting so oddly, do you?” Dan blinks nervously and innocently at Phil, looking absolutely vulnerable.

“He’s just trying to win the case,” Phil repeats, leaning forward to pet through Dan’s hair. Dan hums and closes his eyes, immediately placated.

The rest of court that day goes by smoothly, and then Phil takes Dan home, kisses his forehead, and says that he probably won’t be home in time for dinner, but to eat anyways. While Phil was downtown with Dan, he had one of his workers kidnap Felix’s wife and their baby daughter, but for now, he needs to pay Felix a visit. By some miracle, Phil gets to Felix’s house before the man himself does, and gets comfortable at the dining room table, his eyes falling on the plastic high chair that’d been knocked over in the struggle that same afternoon.

Phil waits for a long time before there's a jingle at the door, and then there's a cry. Felix stumbles into the room, and then roars when he sees Phil. “What have you done?”

“It would do you well not to go riling up my attorney,” Phil says, smiling at Felix calmly. “Now, aren’t you going to be a good host and offer me some wine?”

“What… Where are they, what have you done with them?” Felix demands first angrily, and then slowly he becomes frightened. “Please, where? Where are they? If you've hurt them… I’ll do anything, just please… Tell me they're alright.”

“How should I know?” Phil asks with a half-smile, making it clear he won’t admit to anything.

“Please… What do you want with me? What has happened to them?” Felix begs, eyes searching Phil’s. “Just tell me what to do to keep them safe.”

Phil’s darken. “I wouldn’t know where they are or what happened to Marzia and Bella, but I suggest that you pour us some wine and sit down for a civil discussion. I won’t repeat myself again.”

Felix stumbles into the other room, pouring some wine with shaking hands before giving the flute to Phil, the wine almost sloshing out from his quivers.

“And one for yourself,” Phil directs, waiting calmly for Felix to sit down at the table as well, watching him closely. “Felix, tell me, any interesting cases you’ve taken on lately?”

“I- I'm just working on yours,” Felix mumbles, but quickly directs his eye contact at Phil. “Don't worry, I don't think I’ll win. Dan seems very dedicated.”

“That he is, Felix, and he’s very valuable because of that, wouldn’t you agree? I can imagine that I’d be very upset if he dropped my case for any reason, and that anger may be taken out on others, especially, say, a young woman and her baby. You understand, of course, Felix?”

“I understand,” Felix swallows, his eyes clearly afraid. “I won't say a word about anything, Mr. Lester. I will let him win, I'll try but he’ll win. I understand completely.” Felix gives a slight whimper, biting his tongue. 

“You miss my point,” Phil says, taking a sip of the wine. “I know he’ll win, but he’s a very valuable asset and at this moment I’d rather not anyone be talking in his ear about dropping my case. On another note, I heard you had a sandwich for lunch today. Did you enjoy it? I can also assure you that Marzia had one, albeit maybe not as fancy as yours.”

“Oh…” Felix pales suddenly, his conversation with Dan floating back to him, and he looks at Phil in horror. “You're doing something to him… He's so vulnerable after Chris’ death, even if most people don't see it. But if… If I must sacrifice one or the other, I can promise you that I'd rather have my wife and child. Okay?” 

“I’m doing nothing of the sort, and I don’t appreciate your implications. Have I made myself clear about staying away from my lawyer?”

“Yes, Mister Lester,” Felix grovels, lowering his head in defeat. “I won't talk to him again.”

Phil smirks and stands up. “Thank you for your hospitality. Now, I must be getting going, I’m late for dinner with a very valuable young man.”

“When will I see them again? My wife and baby girl?” Felix suddenly speaks, tears in his eyes. He stands along beside Phil, biting his lip and his eyes filled with pleas.

“That’s entirely under your control, Felix.”

Letting himself out, Phil leaves Felix standing in the dining room, shocked, and hopefully properly coerced into place. He walks two blocks before he sees his car waiting, and gets in. A glimpse at his phone says that he’s probably only going to be a few minutes late for dinner, so he texts the head of his staff to make Dan wait.

Back at home, Dan has slipped out of his suit, as he's sure he's meant to do. He's searching his drawers for anything other than lingerie, and he comes up mostly with leotards and one body suit. The bodysuit is quickly put aside, however he decides to pull on a sexy black little number, and he adorns the ears from last night. His eyes glance at his collar, however it feels wrong strapping it on himself. He still does so, and then begins to wander out into the hall, whimpering due to the pain in his feet. He's been walking on them all day, and they are the most sore they've ever been. Looking around, Dan doesn't see anyone, and so he reduces himself to what seems like the least painful option, crawling. 

He crawls almost all of the way to the dining room, and he's about to resume standing on two feet when the dining room door swings open, and there stands the butler.

“Oh!” Dan cries, launching to his two feet with a wince. Blushing, he tries to explain himself, however the butler seems unconcerned and instead simply leads Dan into the room. The butler watches him sit upon his chair, in front of which a plate of delicious looking food sits, before the butler informs him that he's to keep his hands under the table and wait for ‘Mister Lester’s return’. By the time the door opens again, Dan is squirming in his seat, his stomach growling. He hears the butler whisper something to Phil about crawling, and then Phil stalks over, a smirk on his face.

“I’ve heard that you don’t like to walk, kitten,” Phil says smugly, taking a seat and paying no mind to the flurry of servers that bring him food and drink and portion off Dan’s into smaller amounts, the excess taken away.

“It… My feet were hurting,” Dan explains softly, eyes downcast. “It was easier to crawl… In sorry if it was wrong, Master.” The word rolls of Dan’s tongue like velvet, feeling new and different, but sounding strangely good.

The word isn’t unwelcome, just unexpected. “No, not at all. I expect you to crawl everywhere inside the house from now on,” he says as though it’s as simple as telling Dan to brush his teeth at night.

“Everywhere?” Dan echoes slowly, blinking at Phil, before whatever he's about to say is cut off by Phil holding out for Dan to nibble. Once Dan is done, he hesitates, and then attempts to speak again. “If you wish it… I will do whatever you want of me… Crawl everywhere…” Dan looks down at his plate, humiliation burning across his face, and yet under the table he feels himself getting hard.

“You will do whatever I want of you, I wasn’t asking if it was okay.”

“Of course, sir, anything you'd like,” Dan murmurs, taking the next bite of food almost robotically as he gazes at Phil in a way that signals that he's back to idolising him. Dan sits silently for several moments until the next bite appears, and this time Dan takes a chance, mewling and then knocking his head gently against Phil’s arm like a cat nuzzling his human.

Phil smiles softly, watching Dan carefully. “I haven’t been paying much attention to you today, have I kitten?”

Dan shakes his head pitifully, meowing and sniffling likes it the most heartbreaking thing in the world. He looks down at the table as if he's been downright neglected and is truly missing Phil. After a moment, he sneaks his gaze back up at Phil.

“Quit pouting, I’ll take care of you tonight princess. After dinner, go to my room and prep yourself. I’ll be up there in not too long.”

“Yes sir,” Dan nods, taking another bite of salad. Finally the meal ends and Dan falls onto his knees, crawling up the stairs and along the halls until he arrives at Phil’s room. Once inside Dan glimpses at all the things sitting on the table, and then spots something he considers amazing… A tail.

Hesitantly wondering if he's allowed, Dan nudges at it, before placing it on the bed and then settling comfortably into the mattress with his head in his arms, ass in the air, curls flopping around his fingers.

Content with the knowledge that Dan’s not going to interrupt, Phil walks across the building and goes through a security check to reach the area of his home where he has everything that he wants in safekeeping. People who’ve angered him, people he’s holding for ransom, and miscellaneous things he likes. 

“Marzia,” he greets warmly, coming to one of the last rooms, if it can even be called a room.

The young woman looks up quickly, her face angry for a moment, however she forces a delicate smile to her lips, tucking her daughter neatly behind her. 

“Hello,” she replies simply, refusing to appear as angry or frightened as she feels, but also allowing her voice to be seen as submissive enough to count, but not pitiful.

He unlocks the barred door to where Marzia’s been standing, steps inside, and closes it behind him. “You know, I had the most interesting conversation with your husband today,” he says, knowing she won’t try anything.

“Oh?” Is the only sound she makes, her heart rate picking up, yet other than this she tries to appear mostly unafraid. Still, she lowers her head, praying with all her might that she won't cause trouble.

“I find his company far less preferable than yours. He’s, well, to put it frankly, annoying. And slow, too. Absolutely horrible with social cues. I don’t know how a pretty girl like you wound up with an oaf like him.”

“I suppose one could think that,” Marzia chooses her words carefully. “He has sides both good and bad, but so does anyone. I'm sorry he didn't treat you better. You've been kind, allowing my daughter and I lunch today.” 

“That’s actually why I’m down here,” Phil says, waiting for her to slip up. “May I hold Bella?”

Now Marzia’s eyes widen, and her breath starts coming in short, quick bursts. Her eyes search Phil’s, a whimper dancing on her lips, before she slowly takes a step backward, picking Bella up to wrap her arms around the little girl.

“She's very young,” Marzia speaks slowly, heart in her throat. “Perhaps you would like to hold her with me so she doesn't accidentally wee herself on you. She doesn't know how to control that yet, and we can't have her ruining your nice suit.”

Phil smiles at her like she’s stupid. “I’m aware of the ways babies behave, Marzia. I have no intentions of hurting your daughter, I want to give her to a nanny for the duration of your stay here. You can meet the nanny if you like, but at this time, I really must insist that you work with me here. For your safety, and Bella’s, this is the best choice.” 

“I may meet the nanny?” Marzia asks, searching Phil’s eyes. “Please, I would love to meet this nanny.”

Not taking his eyes off of Marzia, Phil pulls out his phone and sends a message before leaning against the wall. “She’s on her way to the room at this moment, but I won’t ask you to hand me the baby again.” 

Marzia’s lip quivers as she desperately searches Phil’s face, yet very slowly she hands the baby to Phil, not quite taking her hands off of her daughter’s blanket.

“Good girl,” Phil says slowly, cradling Bella in his arms and occasionally flicking his eyes back to Marzia. He rocks the baby gently until a young woman with glasses and a messy bun appears in the doorway.

“Mr. Lester?” She asks.

Phil turns around and holds Bella in one arm, using the other to open the door for the young woman. “Zoe, this is Marzia. Marzia, this is the nanny.”

“Nice to meet you,” Marzia speaks slowly, yet there's tears in her eyes as she gazes at Bella. “You'll take good care of her? She's still a baby… Her name is Bella.” Marzia’s lip quivers again, and she sniffles.

Zoe looks unsure. “Mr. Lester, are you sure you want me to-” but cuts herself off with a single look from Phil. “Of course, Miss, I’ll take care of Bella.” Phil hands her the baby carefully, and just like that, Zoe’s gone.

“To what?” Marzia whimpers softly, staring at Phil with worried confusion. “What was she asking? She’ll make sure Bella is safe and well fed until we can go home, yes?”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. I’m not a  _ monster _ , Marzia. I just don’t think my words have gotten through your husband’s head very well.”

“And… And how will you get through to him?” Marzia asks slowly.

“If you hurt her even the slightest amount, I will make your life a living hell,” Marzia suddenly threatens. “I will, I swear it. If you want to hurt someone, hurt me, and I promise you that I will act as you wish. If you want me to scream, I'll scream, and if you want me to sit quiet as a mouse, I'll do that as well. But if you hurt my baby, you'll wish you never laid hands on me in the first place. I'll become useless to you. I can be very useful, you know…” Marzia suddenly gives Phil a pointed look. “But I am no use to you if you hurt her.

Phil smiles and loosens his tie. “Let me make myself explicitly clear, sweetheart.” He takes a step forward, making Marzia instinctively step back. “I don’t care what you say you’re going to do or what you think you’ll be doing. What I need you for really doesn’t require your cooperation, and threatening me was a  _ very _ bad idea.”

“I'm so sorry,” Marzia whimpers, falling to her knees in an instant apology. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart, Mister Lester. I never should have doubted that your word is good and that you  _ will _ take good care of my baby. I'm sure that a man like you doesn't need to be doubted.” 

An expression of mild distaste on his face, Phil kicks her in the stomach.

“To your feet.”

Coughing, Marzia stumbles upward, her arm snaking around her stomach for a moment in pain before she lets it drop, forcing herself to stand tall as she's been commanded.

“You’ll find that listening to me will serve you well,” Phil whispers, and backhands her.

Everything that happens in the rest of the time Phil spends in that room with Marzia is best spared from the immortality of the written word, but when he’s done, he snaps a picture, and sends it to Felix with nothing more than a “ :) ” as a caption. Then, he finally goes upstairs, to where Dan’s been waiting for almost two hours.

When Dan hears the door open, he stiffens his posture, his back aching terribly, and yet he smiles as he knows that he's been in the position the whole time. He’s shaking slightly from the strain, but nevertheless he gives a sigh of satisfaction, whining a soft hello. 

“Have you been good kitten?” Phil asks as he walks up to the bed, pushing his hair into a quiff.

“Yes Master, very good,” Dan replies softly, his words muffled by the duvet. He smiles as he feels the bed dip for a moment, before Dan feel’s Phil apparently stand again, and Dan hears the soft noise of Phil’s hands stroking thoughtfully over the tail Dan had laid out.

Phil hums. “Kitten, do you know how this goes in?”

“I think so… But I've never used it before,” Dan murmurs softly. “Chris didn't like things like that very much…”

“I’m not Chris, kitten. Here’s how tonight’s going to go: you’ll get your tail tonight, and if you’re a good boy, I’ll let you come. In the morning, I expect you in here, waking me up with your lips around my cock.”

“Yes Master,” Dan declares excitedly, both prospects surprisingly appealing to him. He waits expectantly for a moment, and then Phil is teasing at his entrance, and Dan lets of a happy squeak. There's something cold, and then two more fingers are stretching Dan, making squeaks and whines fill the room.

Phil can’t help but be a little bit surprised at how well Dan handles everything- he’s not had any partners since his ex died, and he did say that Chris didn’t like tails. Maybe Dan’s been fingering himself, and damn if that wouldn’t be a pretty sight- Dan on his bed, moaning and edging himself, fucking himself on his fingers. “One more finger, kitten, and then your tail, okay? You’ve been a very good boy. Want to touch yourself?”

Dan almost squeals excitedly, before he slowly rolls over. He watches Phil’s face, which seems to simply be expecting something, so Dan gives him a little smile, before slipping first one, then two, then three fingers into his already slightly stretched hole. Phil raises his eyebrow, and Dan swallows, before adding a fourth, his mouth opening in a wide “O”. He closes his eyes, concentrating on his breathing for a moment, before he begins to move, his chest rising and falling quickly, his mouth making heavenly, tiny noises, then whimpers, and then full fledged moans.

“Don’t you  _ dare _ cum without permission,” Phil growls, eyes on Dan’s fingers. If he hadn’t already found release tonight, he would be hard again. “If you do, I’m going to have to punish your slutty ass again.”

Dan swallows, forcing himself to slow his pace. He's already leaking slightly, however through much willpower he forces down the urge, before looking to the tail hopefully. After a moment, he gives a questioning ‘mreow’, fingers still inside himself.

“You want to come?” Phil asks, examining his fingernails like there isn’t a boy writhing on his bed.

“Please?” Dan begs softly. “Either, sir, please?” He refers to the silky black tail.

Smirking, Phil picks it up and plays with it in his hands. “If you’re going to come tonight, you have forty-five seconds. I don’t care much, but I thought maybe I should reward my patient little kitten.”

Immediately Dan’s fingers are back at work, a soft moan escaping his lips as he bucks into the air. He suddenly hits a spot inside himself, and then he's coming, moans dribbling from his lips. And then a name comes amongst the moans. “Phil….”

“Excuse me?” Phil asks, eyes snapping to Dan. 

“Hm?” Dan pants, eyes half lidded as he begins to slowly come down from his high. “Yes, Master?”

“What did you call me?”

“M-Master?” Dan whimpers, forcing his eyes open and finally pulling his fingers from himself. He attempts to sit up more, but he ends up flopping boneless on the bed, gazing up at Phil in confusion. “Are you alright, Master?”

“Kitten, I could’ve sworn I heard you call me Phil,” Phil says dangerously.

Dan realises this slowly, and he shrinks into the bed, however if only for his own safety he shrugs, rolling so that he's on his back gazing up at Phil. He pokes his tongue out adorably and nuzzles against him, mind still childish and lightheaded from his climax. “You're Master… May I please have tail, Master?”

“No,” Phil says, watching Dan’s face fall. “But you  _ will _ be plugged and you’ll keep it in all day tomorrow like the whore you are.”

Dan whimpers unhappily, before he suddenly noses at the tail as if this will change things. He then gazes up hopefully at Phil again, before suddenly placing his head in Phil’s lap and closing his eyes contentedly.

“Knock that off,” Phil commands, standing up and pushing Dan off of him. He tucks the tail away in some drawer in his dresser and retrieves a normal plug. “Hands and knees, now.”

Dan lets out a pitiful noise, but he rolls onto his knees anyway, his thighs still painted with an array of colors from the night before.

Once Dan’s in position, Phil doesn’t bother with more lube, just pushes the plug in, watching with interest at the way Dan’s toes curl and his back arches in response. “To your room, now, I’ll see you in the morning.”

The boy’s, lips move as if he's going to say something, yet instead he simply tries to make it off the bed. This proves to be difficult as the plug shifts, causing squeaks to drop from Dan, his mouth making all sorts of interesting little noses. Still, he shuffles to the door, his hips swaying with the effort of moving successfully. When he reaches the door he noses it open before disappearing down the hall.

Phil collapses back on his bed and stares at the ceiling for a long while.  _ He’s starting to be more trouble than he’s worth _ .


	7. It's Complicated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SORRY IM LATE IVE BEEN BUSY + IM WORKING OUT A SURGERY DATE IM SORRY LOVES

Phil’s almost surprised when he wakes up to something warm and wet around his cock, his hips steadily rocking off the bed. “Good kitten,” he says, voice low and dominant, still gravelly with sleep.

Dan flushes with the praise. He licks and sucks excellently. He flattens his tongue and takes Phil deeply, expertly keeping his teeth away from the flesh, and instead simply burying Phil deep within his mouth until he's almost choking. Still, he licks lightly, his nose almost able to meet Phil as he gives another light suck, happiness shooting through him as Phil lets out a loud moan.

“Fuck,” Phil swears softly, grabbing Dan’s hair and yanking him down, ignoring Dan’s gagging and the tears in his eyes and the fact that he probably can’t breathe. He cums when he gets Dan’s nose pressed to his hips, eyes squeezed shut. As he comes down from his high, he slowly pulls Dan back and forth, finally releasing Dan when he’s completely satisfied.

There's a soft coughing, gagging softly and Dan begins to cry, though he isn't sure why the tears are coming down his cheeks. Dan’s throat feels raw, but he feels a dribble on his lip and he licks it up and a kitten licking up milk. Unsure what to do now, Dan settles his head on his hands, gazing silently at Phil, before ducking his head submissively and wondering if he’ll get any praise for what he just did.

“Go get dressed and there’ll be something for your throat at breakfast,” Phil says dismissively.  _ Just a couple more days and he’ll respond better to praise. He’ll worship me completely. _

Dan pouts slightly at Phil, sniffling with sad, teary eyes however he rolls off the bed, giving Phil a good view of the untouched plug. He casts one more disappointed look at Phil before scampering away on all fours to dress. Once that's taken care of, Dan scampers down for breakfast, waiting silently for Phil to appear.

Taking his time getting ready, Phil contemplates how much he wants to mess with Felix as he chooses a dark blue suit that brings out his eyes. He knows Felix got the picture of Marzia last night, but the lack of photos of Bella will scare the man to death. Like he said, Phil isn’t a monster, and he didn’t want a baby near a situation like that. Zoe’s doubt was annoying more than anything- she didn’t want to separate her and Marzia, but all she did was make things worse for Felix’s wife. Phil didn’t mean to do anything too bad last night, just a bruise or two, but she made him mad. He’ll be sure to bring it up to Zoe later.

Downstairs, when Phil walks into the dining room, he sees Dan sipping hesitantly at tea. If Phil’s staff are as competent as he’s been led to believe, then it has a good amount of honey in the green tea. “Morning, kitten,” Phil says, taking his own seat.

“Good morning, Master,” Dan forces out, sounding like he has a mild case of laryngitis. Still, Dan clears his throat and then sounds more normal when he seductively speaks again, his eyes deep and sexy as he licks his bottom lip. “Thank you for feeding me this morning, you tasted wonderful.”

“You’re welcome,” Phil says smugly. “Now, save your voice, you’ll need it in court today.” He waits patiently for his breakfast to come, but when it doesn’t, Phil gets to his feet with his eyebrows drawn together. “Stay here,” he growls. “You move, you will regret ever being born.”

He heads into the kitchen where Marzia is standing, face pale and shaking hand holding a gun. “Give me my baby,” she says softly.

Dan sits stock still in his chair, however the wait makes him frown, shifting just slightly and wondering what the hold up is.

“Aww, sweetheart, you think you scare me?” Phil laughs. “Set down the gun and tell me how you made it all the way up here, and I’ll bring your baby back to Felix. Argue with me further and I’ll have Zoe shoot her.”

Marzia pales, a soft sob escaping her lips, yet she doesn't doubt for a moment that he's telling the truth. She doesn't know how, but somehow she's sure that he would find a way to make that happen. It's with little hesitation that she sets the fun behind her on a cabinet so that Phil can't easily get at it, but she's not holding it any more.

“Please give her back to Felix,” Marzia begs softly. “I'll tell you. I… You had the key on you last night… I managed to grab it. You seemed very distracted when you left…. You used the wrong key to attempt to lock it anyway, and so I managed to… Well I got out, and there were guns, and I got one, but I knew not to explore further in fear of upsetting you worse, Mister Lester. I'm sorry for my disobedience.” Marzia lets out another soft sob, tears pouring down her cheeks.

_ Fucking Dan Howell. _ While Marzia has her face in her hands to cry, Phil draws his own weapon and points it at her stomach. “You’re pregnant,” he says. “Eight weeks, not enough to show yet. You’ve jeopardized that baby as well this morning, Marzia. Stay here, you’ll be escorted back downstairs, and I’ll deal with you tonight.”

“But… But Bella goes home?” Marzia whimpers.  “I know you wouldn't lie, Mister Lester.”

“I’ll think about it,” Phil sneers, and then Marzia’s being seized by two guards. “Fischbach, Mcloughlin, I trust you to put Mrs. Kjellberg away and remind her of her place here.”

Marzia lets out a soft cry as she's dragged away, but then there's another cry from the dining room, and this one sounds like Dan. Following that, there's a sound of something toppling, but when Phil stalks over its to find Dan sitting in his chair, his face pale and tears pouring down his cheeks, his mouth opening and closing in shock.

“Dan?” Phil asks, walking over and setting a hand on Dan’s shoulder.

“What…” Dan’s voice his soft, his gaze far away before he slowly turns it up to Phil, staring at him in shock and horror. “What? I don't understand...”

Phil crouches down level with Dan and tilts his face to one side. “What’re you on about, kitten?”

“Felix…  Wife?” Dan whimpers, seemingly unable to get anything else out, before he meets Phil’s eyes, letting out a little sob, shaking his head as if something doesn't add up right. “Master? I don't…”

“Don’t worry about it baby, just an old friend messing around in the kitchen, and I had to tell them it wasn’t the time,” Phil lies. “Finish your tea and then let’s head downtown.”

Dan gazes at Phil, his eyes searching Phil’s for something, yet when he doesn't seem to find it, he sniffles and sips his tea some more. His eyelashes are clumped with tears, yet he blinks and manages to somewhat calm himself before descending from the chair, head hanging. He hesitates, before looking pitifully up at Phil, though somehow his pitifulness is almost a bit adorable. “I didn't move, was I good?”

“Yes, you were a good kitten for me,” Phil assures, kissing Dan and pulling back with a smile.

This makes Dan’s tears suddenly evaporate, and miraculously he's suddenly beaming, staring at Phil like he just moved a mountain. Dan almost doesn't seem to be able to compose himself, his mouth hanging open in shock, however after a moment he licks his lips and murmurs. “Thank you, Master. You're so kind… You're the best master there has ever been. You're so good to me...” 

Phil pets Dan’s hair. “You’re welcome. Now, remember, when we leave the house, you’re going to call me Mr. Lester.”

“Yes Master, I will call you Mister Lester,” Dan nods in agreement, his eyes wide as saucers. He nudges into Phil’s touches, before following him to the door and finally standing in order to get out to the car. He sticks close to Phil, gazing at him as if suddenly Phil is the most important thing on Earth. And slowly Dan is beginning to realise that Phil is the most important thing, or at least he’s the most important thing to Dan.

In the car ride on the way to the courthouse, Phil absentmindedly rubs circles into Dan’s thigh, mind obviously somewhere else. He knows he’ll get acquitted, but the issue has once again been raised that Dan may be more high maintenance than Phil thought, and that can be a terrible mistake. Is it worth it if he causes this many problems?

“We’re here,” Dan hums happily, nuzzling Phil’s shoulder for a moment before quickly becoming professional. “Mister Lester.”

Dan flashes a smile, completely unaware of Phil’s musings. Instead he hurries from the car and into the courthouse. He glimpses Felix, and he frowns. There are dark circles under his eyes, which are bloodshot, plus his hair looks like it hasn't seen a brush in a very long time. Dan almost approaches, however Felix scampers away, leaving Dan to shrug and head into the courtroom where he’ll wait for Phil.

On the way over to Dan, Phil bumps into Felix and knocks him down. Phil immediately apologizes, but as he stands up, he pushes a folded slip of paper into Felix’s hands. It has nothing more than a second, more ominous smiley face, and a blood stain. “Sorry,” Phil says, and hurries over to Dan so they can walk into court together.

The day tilts almost miraculously into Dan’s hands. Felix appears as though he's struggling really hard to do his best, and yet Dan is able to play things off as if Phil is a down right angel in the eyes of the law without hardly a beat or contest from the other lawyer. Dan wonders why, however he doesn't get a chance at lunch as Phil keeps him pinned by his side. By the end of the trial, it's clear that this went by significantly faster than anyone expected, and Dan is beaming. He's about to follow Phil, when suddenly he's commanded to wait in the car, so he skips along obediently, a smile on his face.

“Felix,” Phil greets, approaching the man and giving him a charming smile. “Been a while. How’s the wife and kid?”

“Please, I've done my part,” Felix begs, s sob in the back of his throat. “My career is already going to be in shambles… When will they be home? Please Mister Lester…”

Phil taps Felix’s nose. “You see, I was going to bring them both back tonight, but Marzia seems to think that she has authority, and we can’t have that, can we? It’d be a shame if she brought another baby into the world acting like that.”

“Another?” Felix murmurs, fear in his eyes.

“Oh, she didn’t tell you? Your wife is eight weeks pregnant with your second child.”

Felix simply stands in shock, his mouth opening and closing, before he really does sob, his head in his hands. “Please, just tell me what to do. I just want my child… I just want my wife back… Please Mister Lester. I don't care if I'm indebted to you for the rest of my life, just let them go!”

“Come with me,” Phil says after a moment of contemplation, and walks to the car, where Dan’s already waiting. “Dan, make room for our guest.”

Dan blinks at Felix in awe, looking between Phil and the other lawyer slowly, yet when Phil begins stroking Dan’s hair, it's almost like he's been trained expertly and he falls into a trance like state, humming and smiling as he leans against Phil, his tongue poking out of his mouth and his eyes endearing.

The ride home is silent and Dan is immediately dismissed to go to Phil’s room. “Naked, tail, no touching,” Phil instructs, then texts Zoe. “Follow me, Felix.” He takes Felix down to where Marzia is, and allows Felix to see her, bruised, battered, bloody, clothes in shreds on the floor, shaking badly.

“You’re…” Felix grows silent after that word, simply swallowing and closing his eyes. He doesn't understand what has happened to Dan, but somehow this far outweighs anything that could have occurred to his old friend and court enemy.

As though on cue, Zoe waltzes in and hands Phil Bella, then scurries away, not meeting anyone’s eyes. Holding the baby gently Phil smirks at Marzia. “Now, Felix, you have a choice. Are you going to kill Marzia and unborn child, or Bella? You have one minute to choose or it’s both.”

\------

Felix’s eyes shoot to Marzia’s and immediately he knows the choice that's she's begging him to make, and yet somehow he can't bring himself to do it.

“I'm sorry,” he whispers to her. “I’m so sorry. Mr Lester I… I choose Bella.”

Phil angles Bella so that a bullet through her head won’t hit him as well and hands the gun to Felix, helping position it perfectly. “Pull the trigger.”

“Surely… You allow the death of a baby this age?” Felix murmurs in something between awe and horror. 

From upstairs Dan hears the sound of a gunshot, and he startles, but still remains stalk still in position.

Phil smiles and tucks his gun away again, dropping Bella to the floor with a dull thud that makes Marzia sob. “I’ll have a car take you home. Breathe a word of this to anyone and you’ll both wish I had enough mercy to kill you. Am I clear?”

Felix seems beyond the ability to reply, his hands shaking desperately. When Phil steps away from him, Felix merely has to hold onto the wall to keep from collapsing. Marzia storms from her cell and looks nearly ready to leave him, and yet when she sees his inability to move, or nearly even breath, Marzia wraps an arm around him and leads him along.

Looking down at the blood on his suit in distaste, Phil strips as he makes his way upstairs where Dan’s on the bed, his tail in, ears on, an collar tight around his neck. “You look so pretty kitten.”

Dan mewls softly, a smile on his face as he wiggles a little and lowers his head, his soft hair falling delicately upon the duvet.

“Think I’ll fuck you tonight, kitten,” Phil says, pulling slightly on Dan’s tail to watch him whine high in the back of his throat and arch his back. “Finally get to see your whore ass swallow me up like it was made to do.”

As Phil strokes down Dan’s spine and back, before stroking his tail, the boy hums in contentment. After a beat, Phil pulls the tail all the way out with a soft pop. Dan is still fully stretched, but gasps anyways as Phil’s fingers dip into him. He pushes backward into Phil, the prospect of what's to come making him almost immediately half hard.

Reaching for the lube, Phil keeps his eyes on Dan. Even as he pushes his slacks down just far enough to jerk himself off, he doesn’t look away. “My little slut,” he says affectionately, but his eyes are cold.

Dan simply smiles and lets out a happy, adorable little squeak at what sounds like Phil complimenting him. Phil’s own noises make Dan feel lightheaded with excitement, and he gets the urge to cuddle something, or kiss Phil, patiently; to either get stroked and petted, or give Phil a blow job, but instead Dan stays stock still, making sure he doesn't lose the adjective ‘good’.

“Want to be fucked?” Phil asks, pausing to look at Dan and appreciate how utterly  _ ruined _ the boy is. He did this. He made Dan into little more than a subservient pet, and in such a short time, too. Even Phil must admit he’s done well, and it’s really a shame that Dan causes so much trouble.

“Please… Master,” Dan begs, wiggling his ass hopefully, as if he's wagging a tail. When he feels Phil lay a hand on the back of Dan’s back, he pushes up into it, his mouth quirking upwards hopefully. “Please, please, master. Love you.”

Phil doesn’t dignify him with a response, slowly pushing in instead, biting his lip and focusing on teasing Dan. He doesn’t give Dan much time to adjust before he starts to fuck Dan. Since their first meeting, Phil’s been working up to this, and damn if it isn’t satisfying.

The noises that come from Dan’s mouth sound truly like they're from either heaven or hell, as he pushes back against Phil, relishing this that he hasn't had since Chris. Suddenly it's like Chris has melted away, and there's just Phil, and then Dan is panting, and whining, and whimpering, and clenching around Phil, moaning out a soft, “Thank you, Master.”

Everything is so perfect, and Phil has a brief moment where he thinks of keeping Dan to play with for a while longer. On instinct, one of his hands wraps around Dan’s throat and squeezes. “You’re welcome, whore. Finally, a piece of shit like you’s able to fulfil his purpose.”

Dan gags slightly, panting and attempting to breath, but barely able to. He feels even more light headed, and his face changes colors slightly, but he simply goes along compliantly, smiling and slightly bucking his soft hair against Phil. He almost tries to speak, before he has to give up, coughing and spluttering weakly.

“I’m getting close, so if you want to cum, now’s the time to start begging.”

“Please,” Dan begs softly, squirming like a small animal beneath Phil. “Please, I'll be good for you, please let me come, Sir?”

“More.”

“Please, please, I love you, I'll do anything for you,” Dan begs softly, sniffling and squirming. “Please, Master, I'll be your good boy. I'll always be your good boy, Master, please let me come!” Dan begs, tears springing to his eyes.

For a couple moments longer, Phil stays silent, watching Dan plead, until finally- “Come, kitten.” 

Dan moans softly, and then he's coming and shivering under Phil, almost immediately becoming boneless as he hits a climax like he hasn't for weeks, snuggling into the sheets. His ears are still perched upon his head, and he looks as much like as an adorable, little human kitten as anyone ever has, as he snuggles into a little ball, a smile on his face, completely zoned out.

“No you don’t, pet,” Phil  growls and yanks Dan’s hips back into the air, furiously chasing his own high, nearly there. What really drives him over the edge are Dan’s fucked out out whimpers every time Phil hits his sensitive prostate.

Dan whines and squeals, both beyond feeling, and over sensitive. He is almost unable to hold himself up and together, and his eyes are almost rolling back in his head. When he does finally feel Phil come inside him, he moans and whimpers loudly, shaking and quivering like a wounded puppy.

“Good boy,” Phil breathes, practically collapsing on top of Dan.

The feeling of Phil upon him makes the younger boy absolutely elated. Dan cuddles up into Phil, and for the first time ever he feels loved by Phil, who's warm body is pressed up against him. He feels Phil’s chest rising and falling against Dan’s back, and Dan curls up slightly, letting out a happy sigh, his mind completely and utterly given over to the other boy.

Both of them quickly fall asleep, and when he wakes up, Phil makes a face and peels himself away from Dan to shower. He’ll have to have the sheets changed later, too. By the time he gets out of the bathroom and redresses, Dan’s sitting upright on his bed, hair messy and eyes still glazed over with sleepiness.

“Hello Master,” Dan gives a kitten like yawn, his lips stretching and his tongue poking out adorably. He ducks his head respectfully, eyes cast downward and his soft curls falling into his gaze. 

“Morning,” Phil says gruffly. He had his fun last night, but watching him right now, Phil knows how dangerous letting Dan stay and keeping the boy will prove to be. The only question is what he should do with Dan.

“Sir?” Dan looks up timidly, eyes soft and wide. Suddenly he's worried that he's done something wrong. He bats his eyelashes and examines Phil carefully, chewing his bright red lips.

Something about the word just pisses Phil off. “Keep your mouth shut. Come with me.”

Without waiting for a response, Phil walks out of the room, and heads to a wing of his mansion already full of people who were expecting something this morning, anyways.

Dan pales and scrambles along beside Phil, feeling slightly dirty and grungy from sleeping under Phil last night and not showering, however his collar still feels soft around his neck, so he smiles, innocently happy as he pads along behind the older boy, the carpet soft under his hands and knees.

The room he takes Dan to is octagonal with all the walls being mirrors- at least they appear that way. It’s all one way glass, and hungry eyes are staring from the other side. “Gentlemen,” Phil says in a smooth voice, “I’m sure you’ll find this particular toy to be well trained and broken in. He’s very pretty, and has a high tolerance for pain. Sometimes he gets confused, but he does well with orders and is still practicing law. Pet his hair and call him kitten and he’ll undoubtedly be loyal to you.” He turns his attention to Dan. “Isn’t that right, kitten?”

Frightened and slightly confused, Dan looks up at Phil, coming closer and bumping his head against Phil’s shin and giving a soft mewl. He blinks gently, looking around, before nuzzling Phil again and softly giving a worried, questioning, “Meow?”

“Shh,” Phil says, reaching down and pulls Dan to his feet by his collar. “He’s a bit battered right now, having just come out of conditioning, but he heals quickly. Can I start the bidding at say, two grand?”

Dan staggers, not ready to be on his two feet, and he tries to tuck closer to Phil, his heart beating quickly. He looks around at what appears to just be mirrors, and he shivers. Quaking slightly and afraid, Dan tries to nuzzle Phil again, and then speaks softly. “Master, what's going on? I don't understand, sir… Please?”

“You don’t need to understand,” Phil says, kissing Dan’s forehead. “Be a good boy for me.” His phone buzzes in his pocket. “I have two grand, do I hear three?”

“Master?” Dan’s voice raises in pitch, his eyes shooting around in frightened confusion. His bottom lip trembles and he swallows hard, leaning into Phil’s light touch as his soft brown eyes dart around and he shrinks in on himself slightly. “Love you, Master. Love you?”

Ignoring Dan, Phil watches his phone. “Several bids for three grand, one for six. Do I hear seven?”

“I'm frightened,” Dan says suddenly, tears forming on his lashes but not quite falling. He lets out a tiny, frightened noise, nuzzling Phil desperately now as if doing everything he can to get some of of affection and reassurance from the other man. “I love you?”

“I don’t care if you’re frightened. Be a good boy for Master and be quiet, or I’ll make the rest of your life miserable,” Phil growls. “As you can see, he gets attached. I have eight thousand, do I see ten?”

Dan whimpers softly, almost dropping to his knees, but forcing himself not to as he wraps his arms around himself, shivering. Now tears of frightened confusion do start falling, and he shakes his head, clearly not quite understanding what's happening but getting a terrible feeling. His hand goes to his collar, and he rubs it for reassurance, whines and mewls coming unconsciously from his pink, swollen lips.

“He’s responsive, too.” Phil’s hand grabs at Dan’s collar and pulls to choke him, his other hand resting on Dan’s waist tightly, listening to the start of a moan in Dan’s mouth. “Plenty of stamina. If you’re inexperienced, he might not be for you, he needs a firm hand. I have forty five, do I hear fifty?”

Dan feels himself torn between the familiar, fuzzy, inviting feeling which calls for him to fall deep down the rabbit hole, moan, and cuddle into Phil’s side. Another half of Dan is terrified, however, making him whine and mewl, resulting in an array of submissive, alluring, seductive noises that make it sound like Phil is fucking him rather than simply holding him close and rubbing the back of his neck.

“One hundred thousand dollars,” Phil says reverently. “Two? Going once, going twice-”

Time seems to stop.

“Sold!”

“Sold?” Dan suddenly whimpers, the blood draining from his face as he gazes at Phil, his eyes completely and utterly admiring, and yet terrified.

Smirking, Phil drags Dan out of the room and down a hallway where a tall man is watching them, waiting. He’s not tall by any means, but he looks intimidating. It’s not the baby blue eyes, or the clearly dyed green hair, or the crisp suit he wears. Without a doubt, it’s the huge stack of cash in his hand and the gun that’s not-so-subtly winking from his waistband. The word  _ Sold _ seems to echo in Dan’s head.

After counting carefully, Phil smiles at the man. “Pleasure to do business with you, as always, Jack.”

“Mark and I have been meaning to replace PJ,” Jack says, and crosses his arms. “Come.” The command is clearly directed at Dan.

Dan looks to Phil, his face frightened as he seems to wait for Phil’s opinion, for Phil to command him to do something. After a moment, he cocks his head and murmurs, “Master?”

“That’s your master now, kitten.” Phil nudges Dan forward and gives Jack a bitter smile. “He’ll settle in quickly, don’t worry. He’s no stranger to harsh discipline, so don’t be scared of hurting him. If you have any troubles, seeing as he’s relatively new, don’t hesitate to call me.”

He slowly walks forward, eyes traveling back and forth between Phil and Jack. He tries to offer Jack a timid smile, however his eyes end of focusing on Phil. The brown looks far gentler due to the tears in his eyes, and he whimpers softly, shrinking in on himself. As if Phil will suddenly take him back, Dan whimpers again, blinking hopefully.

There’s no hesitation before Jack slaps him across the face. “Stop looking like a kicked dog. Now, come on, we have a lot to do today- getting you neutered, buying you a different collar, and basic discipline of the house.”

Dan whines loudly at this, quivering and shaking, before suddenly he's running back to Phil and hiding behind him, as if he’ll stop Jack and save Dan from this. When Jack stalks forward, Dan clings to Phil's clothing, whining, whimpering, and crying loudly. 

“My apologies, I had no idea he’d be so… clingy,” Phil says.

“No worries, I know how it is. Sometimes they just attach, but that’s why you can’t train your own. They’re needy,” Jack laughs. 

One hand around Dan’s neck, Phil physically drags him alongside Jack, walking the man to his car. Jack opens the back and reveals a cramped dog-like crate made for someone who is  _ not _ six feet tall. It doesn’t take much force for Phil to shove Dan into it, curled up with tears on his cheeks.

“Be a good boy, you ungrateful bitch,” Phil commands, and then both doors are shut on Dan, leaving him cramped, enclosed, in the dark.

Dan sits in absolute shocked silence for a long moment, and then he's screaming and crying, pushing and kicking and yanking at every corner of the box. His cries are wordless, and yet he continues to scream until slowly his screams turn into loud, hacking sobs. He feels the car moving, and he continues to sob and cry for at least a half hour. The drive is long, and over time it seems that he's cried himself out, and his sobs slowly fade into whimpers, and then silent tears down his cheeks. He feels like his tears are washing away a part of himself that maybe he lost long ago, he isn't sure anymore. All he knows is he wants Phil, just Phil and only Phil, and yet the word is caught in his throat. When he's finally yanked from the small space, it's the first word from his mouth, and yet he's slapped across the face again, and Phil fades into a dream, a memory of when Dan was loved and cared for, and each night from then on, Dan cries himself to sleep, the word Phil dancing mockingly through his mind. A wisp of sea foam that's always just on the next wave, and Dan can't quite swim fast enough to keep himself from drowning.

“Hey, when are you free?” Jack asks over the phone a little more than a month later.

Casually running his hands through the hair of the boy on the floor, mouth around Phil’s cock to keep it warm, tears running down his cheeks in humiliation, Phil answers, “I can be now. What do you need?”

“It’s Dan. He won’t stop crying at night, yelling your name in his sleep, and being nonresponsive. He’s been worse since he quit his job a couple weeks back. If you can’t fix him, I expect a refund or a replacement.”

“I’ll be there,” Phil sighs. Even after all this time, Dan’s still causing far too much trouble.

Dan's curled in a little ball when Phil arrives. He has a new studded pink collar around his neck, quite the opposite of the velvety black one he’d had before. His collar is attached to a leash which is tied to a ring in the wall, yet Dan is snuggled in a corner on a checkered dog bed, shivering with tear tracks down his cheeks. When he hears the door open, he flinches backward, avoiding eye contact but slowly curling his little ball so that his ass is in the air. He holds the position, revealing fresh bruising and red lines, and he shakes with the violence of his expectant terror.

“I had such high hopes for you too.”

When Dan turns around it’s to see Phil standing in the doorway, arms crossed and staring at Dan with annoyance.

“M-Master?” Dan’s voice quakes hopefully, his eyes widening. Immediately Dan scrambles as far toward Phil as his leash with let him, a beaming smile on his hopeful face, which quirks like a happy puppy whose owner has come back from war.

His face clearly annoyed, Phil raises an eyebrow at Dan. “I’m not your Master, Jack is, and he tells me that you’ve been nothing short of a pain in the ass.”

“But… But I love you,” Dan whimpers, lip trembling as if somehow Phil’s behaviour contradicts everything he's ever known about the other boy. “And you loved me… You took care of me, kept me safe, made me happy. You didn't hurt me… You didn't… You didn't…” Dan is suddenly crying, his eyes searching Phil’s for hope that this is all a cruel joke and that Phil will take him back. “I was happy, because I loved you… They hurt me, Mas-Sir…”

“I didn’t love you Dan, don’t be dense. You know who loved you? Chris. He gave himself up to keep your pretty little ass safe, and look at how well that turned out for him.”

“What?” Dan whimpers, the color suddenly flowing from his face. A long ago memory of another boy, a boy before Phil, floats through his mind, yet Dan shakes his head, trying to push the memory away. “No, you. You loved me.”

“Listen,” Phil growls, stepping far enough forward to push Dan’s face into the floor with his shoe. “You’ll be a good boy for Jack, or I’ll have someone cut off your dick and feed it to you, and so much more. You’ll _ wish _ you were shown enough mercy to die.”

“Mast-Sir? Phil?” Dan whimpers, terror and confusion clouding his mind, and yet he doesn't move, doesn't fight, and doesn't quite cry. Instead, he shivers and tries to sort things out. Suddenly he doesn't understand. Phil was kind, wasn't he? Phio would pet him and love him, and yet something seems off. Something slowly begins to click, the image of another, kinder boy. Somehow who held him when he cried and stopped when Dan said the magic word, and immediately he pales. “Chris?”

“Chris has been gone for a long while, and it’s your fault, sweetheart. He thought it would protect you, save you from this. It was in vain, wasn’t it? I mean, look at you, a pathetic whiny bitch who can’t follow orders.”

“What do you mean?” Dan whimpers, finally turning his gaze up to Phil, searching his baby blue eyes. And yet suddenly those blue eyes don't seem soft and kind, they seem terrifying. “He… He killed himself…”

Phil can’t help but laugh. “And where was his body, hmm?”

“They… They said he was cremated,” Dan whimpers, confusion on his face. “He was, I was at the funeral. I know he was… He was, Mas-Si-Ph-Sir!” Dan sniffles angrily.

“They cremated him without telling anyone? You’re really that stupid.” Phil pets through Dan’s hair like one would a beloved dog who just ran into a wall. “That’s not the point though, is it? Be a good whore for Jack, or you’ll definitely be sorry.

“What do you mean?” Dan cries again, growing increasingly upset. “What happened? They told me that! I know that! What happened to him? Please, what happened to Chris? Please… I love you, please tell me what happened to Chris...”

“I did. You see where you’re at right now? He put himself here so you wouldn’t have to. I must admit, I thought you’d be much more docile than him, but I was mistaken. A disappointment, really, that you can’t be a good boy. You had potential.”

“He… You took him?” Dan's voice is a whimper, his eyes filling with tears much more tangible and real than anything he's felt for a long time. “He was here? You… You took him? For me? What do you mean, for me? I… But I am here… If you took him why am I here? He's still alive? But… But wait I… I am a good boy? You said good boy. You said I was a good boy.” Dan’s suddenly breaking down, little whimpers and sobs breaking from his mouth as he shakes, eyes looking everywhere but at Phil. “I can still be a good boy for you. Please, I can be a good boy. I love you, I want to be a good boy. I was Chris’ good boy… I love Chris… Master, where is Chris?” Dan blinks up at Phil, his soft brown eyes looking frightened and vulnerable. 

Phil’s lips quirk up in a half smile. “I went back on my promise, and Chris died in the care of Jack for being an indignant piece of shit. How naive are you, honestly? You want to be a good boy? Don’t call me Master anymore and behave yourself around your Master.”

Dan’s eyes search the floor for something, before turning his eyes up to Phil. His face is tear streaked, blotchy, and yet his red lips are wet and tantalising. He opens and closes those lips several times, before suddenly Dan sobs once, loud and wet, before he lowers his head into Phil’s lap in absolute exhaustion. Dan’s quaking slightly, his pulse racing far above normal, and yet Dan speaks in the softest of voices. “You will always be my master in my heart, because I love you. I would obey whatever you asked of me. If you asked me to bow, I would, and if you asked me to kiss you, I would, and if you held a blade to my throat, and let drops of red drip down, I wouldn't fight. I'd reach up, and I'd kiss you.” Dan sniffles, closing his eyes and relishing a last moment in Phil’s lap, before he retracts his head, hangs it low, and silently stares at the floor.

For a moment, Phil considers his words, watching Dan to see if he has anything else to say or do.

“Be a good boy,” Phil whispers, stands up, and walks out of the room, leaving Dan there and not looking back.

**Author's Note:**

> We're on tumblr: somanydestiel, emywright-funpics
> 
> Somanydestiel is accepting oneshot prompts on tumblr


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